Utah Report on Juvenile Sex Offenders

• NCJ Number: 152452
• Author(s): L A Rasmussen; A Dibble
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 55 pages
• Grant Number(s): 87-JF-CX-0049
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Corporate Author: Utah Task Force of The Utah Network on Juveniles Offending Sexually (NOJOS)
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services; Utah Task Force of The Utah Network on Juveniles Offending Sexually (NOJOS)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report of the Utah Task of the Network on Juvenile Offending Sexually examines the extent to which juveniles contribute to the State's child sexual abuse problem and proposes ways for the State to address the conditions identified.

Abstract

The task force's two major findings are that the number of juveniles referred to juvenile courts for sex offenses is increasing at an alarming rate and that the majority of these juveniles are not receiving the necessary specialized treatment to prevent their offending behaviors from continuing into adulthood. Varying definitions of juvenile sexual offending behavior have contributed to underreporting of these offenses to proper authorities. The task force proposes guidelines to aid in defining juvenile sexual offending behavior. These guidelines include not only recognizing the needs of the general population of juvenile sex offenders, but also those of special populations such as children under age 12, developmentally disabled juveniles, and female juveniles. The task force found variation and inconsistency in the investigation of juvenile sex offenses. Consequently, many juveniles are not being referred to the legal system, or if they are referred are not given adequate sanctions or treatment for their offending behaviors. Specialized training is required for many law enforcement and juvenile court investigators. The task force also found that the resources for the specialized treatment of juvenile sex offenders are seriously lacking in all geographical areas of the State; therefore, the task force recommends that specialized treatment programs be created and funded throughout the State. Further, the task force proposes that a Juvenile Sex Offender Act be enacted to allocate funding for developing resources and providing needed training. It also recommends that guidelines be established for all components of the continuum of legal intervention and treatment services. 8 figures, appended supplementary information, and a 57-item bibliography