NCJ Number
225880
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 72 Issue: 3 Dated: December 2008 Pages: 37-41
Date Published
December 2008
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study examined the treatment implications associated with possible efforts likely to be motivated to avoid juvenile sex offender registration.
Abstract
Findings suggest that a possible unintended consequence of sex offender legislation on juvenile sex offenders may be withholding juvenile sex offender treatment for youth that have committed sex crimes as a result of reduced charges at disposition in order to avoid registration requirements. Results found that based on the initial charge, the majority of juvenile sex crimes committed in the region were the most serious sex crimes; the majority of juvenile sex crimes were pled down to lesser charges, most of which became Gross Indecency charges; and the majority of juvenile sex offenders were not eligible for county funded sex offender treatment as a result of dispositional charges. The introduction of sex offender legislation has significant implications for juvenile justice. Although the interaction of this legislation with civil rights and the ideological foundation for the juvenile justice system has begun to be explored, the impact of this legislation on dispositional decisionmaking is still largely unknown. Because of the controversy surrounding sex offender legislation and juveniles, dispositional decisionmaking action to avoid registration requirement may inadvertently prohibit treatment opportunities for this population. Continuous examination will be required to ensure that the strides that have been made in juvenile sex offender treatment and management are not inadvertently lost due to challenges faced by prosecutors and jurists attempting to work within the constructs of this legislation. References