Sex Crimes Against Children: Legislation, Prevention, and Investigation (From Situational Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, P 65-100, 2006, Richard Wortley and Stephen Smallbone, eds. -- See NCJ-215297)

• NCJ Number: 215300
• Author(s): Leonore M.J. Simon; Kristen Zgoba
• Date Published: 2006
• Length: 36 pages
• Sale Source: Criminal Justice Press/Willow Tree Press
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Using empirical data on the characteristics of sexual and nonsexual offenses, this chapter offers suggestions for legislation, prevention, and investigation in countering child molestation.

Abstract

Findings indicate that most sex crimes involve child victims; sex-crime rates are comparable to the rates of other violent crimes; sex crimes are rarely perpetrated by individuals previously unknown to the victim; most male sex-crime victims are under 12 years old; most female sex-crime victims are victimized during or after puberty; perpetrators of sex crimes are less likely to be arrested than perpetrators of other violent crimes; and sex crimes committed by relatives or acquaintances of the victim are less likely to be arrested than perpetrators who are strangers to the victim. Based on these findings, one suggestion for new legislation is that mandatory arrest policies be applied to family members or acquaintances who have committed a sexual offense against a child. The finding that most sex offenses against children are committed by someone known to the victim suggests that investigations of such offense should focus on family members and acquaintances prior to considering strangers, absent clear evidence that a stranger was involved. Regarding prevention, current sex offender policies are designed to prevent child molestation by focusing on sexual behavior. Empirical evidence, however, suggests a general problem of self-control, since the sex offender typically commits other crimes as well. Prevention might better focus on general mechanisms of self-control. The empirical data used in this chapter were obtained from the National Incident-Based Reporting System for the year 2000. Data analysis focuses on the characteristics of four forcible sexual crimes (rape, sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling); two nonforcible sexual crimes (incest and statutory rape); and three nonsexual violent crimes (kidnapping, aggravated assault, and robbery). 6 tables, 7 notes, 85 references, and 1 appendix