NCJ Number
163905
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1995 Pages: 17-19
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This study compared a sample of 52 young sex offenders and 800 young non-sex offenders that included consecutive admissions to the young offender unit of a regional detention center in Canada.
Abstract
The offenders were incarcerated because they had been convicted of a criminal offense or because they were awaiting trial for an offense allegedly committed when they were 16 or 17 years of age. Each offender was interviewed individually and underwent a battery of risk and needs tests. The average age of sex offenders was 17.3 years and all but one were male. The average age of the non-sex offenders was 17.2 percent and 722 were male. All sex offenders had been convicted of "hands-on" offenses such as fondling, sexual assault, or attempted sexual assault. Results showed that young sex offenders were characterized by sexual abuse, depression, poor academic performance, and nonsexual antisocial behavior. Sex offenders were more likely than non-sex offenders to report they had been sexually abused. In addition, sex offenders had higher Trauma Symptom Checklist depression scores than non-sex offenders, and more sex offenders than non-sex offenders failed a grade in school. Sex offenders were as likely as non-sex offenders, however, to have had two or more prior convictions, to exhibit poor classroom behavior, and to have been suspended or expelled from school. Further research is recommended to study adolescent sexual aggression and its treatment. 14 references and 1 table