NCJ Number
111465
Date Published
1988
Length
26 pages
Annotation
To examine the nature of juvenile sexual offending in Michigan in 1986, questionnaire surveys were conducted among 700 court juvenile officers and community service workers, 86 protective services supervisors, and 53 State police community service officers.
Abstract
Results identified 681 juvenile sex offenders, 96 percent of whom were male. The median age of offenders was 14; median age of victims was 7 years. Acts of penetration were most common, accounting for 56 percent of the total. Of offenders, 93 percent were acquaintances, friends, babysitters, or relatives of the victims. Of 1,178 cases of alleged child sexual abuse by a youth in 1985, 731 were substantiated by protective services. Over 60 percent of adolescent sexual abusers were reported to have received no specialized treatment services; in over two-thirds of the cases, probation officers were dissatisfied with the treatment options available to the adolescent. In view of these findings, the legislature is urged to develop policies for a continuum-of-care service delivery system for adolescent sexual abusers, including outpatient, daycare, residential, and secure residential treatment. In addition, a task force should be established to identify service providers and trainers, coordinate policy, develop protocols, and establish training and new services. 7 tables and 9 figures.