NCJ Number
83518
Date Published
1982
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study sought to determine whether violent juvenile sexual assaulters differed psychologically, neurologically, or educationally from other violent juvenile offenders.
Abstract
The sample of 17 juvenile sexual offenders consisted of all boys committed to a secure unit for violent offenders over an 18-month period who had been found guilty of any form of sexual assault. The comparison sample consisted of 61 boys incarcerated in the same unit for committing serious violent acts other than sexual assault. The average age in both groups was 15 years. Participants in both groups were evaluated by a child psychiatrist and a neurologist. In addition, interviews with offenders and parents were conducted whenever possible, and court records were reviewed. Findings revealed that sexual assaulters had been behaving in a variety of violently antisocial ways since early childhood. All assaulters had histories of threatening family, friends, and teachers throughout childhood. Full scale, verbal scores, and performance scores did not indicate significant differences in intelligence between the two groups. Physical abuse was equally prevalent in sexual assaulters and other violent juveniles. Findings contradicted the prevailing assumptions that sexual assaults by juveniles are rare occurrences and that juvenile sex offenders have a lower rate of recidivism than other delinquents. In general, the assumption that sexually assaultive offenders differ neuropsychiatrically from other violent offenders is subject to question. Twelve references are provided.