NCJ Number
104303
Date Published
1984
Length
93 pages
Annotation
Using 1981 data and information from official criminal justice records, programs that treat juvenile sex offenders, and case studies of juvenile sex offenders, this study presents patterns of juvenile sex offenses in New York State, profiles juvenile sex offenders and their treatment, and offers policy recommendations.
Abstract
The special problems of adolescent sex offenders in New York State have been consistently unacknowledged, neglected, or responded to inappropriately. Only a small percentage of adolescent sex offenses are reflected in official arrest statistics. Data required for a realistic assessment of the problem are unrecorded, unretrievable, or not uniform across agencies. Until mid-1983, New York State had no specialized juvenile sex offender treatment programs. Current programs are apparently all in juvenile secure facilities. There are no identified community-based group treatment programs for such offenders. This study profiles adolescent sex offenders in New York, presents guidelines for assessing their behavior and treatment, describes out-of-State treatment programs, summarizes the goals of an effective treatment program, describes some treatment methods, and presents a checklist of risks that should be weighted in selecting nonresidential versus residential treatment for these offenders. Policy recommendations pertain to treatment for incarcerated and unincarcerated juvenile sex offenders, education and training for treatment specialists, prevention, research, and comprehensive State planning. 6 appendixes of supplementary material and 20 tables.