This exploratory study uses a nonprobability purposive sample to investigate the perceptions of domestic violence service providers in rural regions of North Carolina and Virginia. Investigators gathered data incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were retrieved through the development and distribution of a self-administered survey targeting service provider perceptions about the general public, consumers of services, self-perceptions, and perceptions related to inter- and intra-agency issues. Qualitative data were collected to provide further elaboration on the topic through the use of a focus group composed of rural service providers. The focus group was facilitated by the investigators. Findings identified deficits in public knowledge, agency resources, and community resources, and professional development as being the most problematic issues. Victims were perceived as having to face multiple issues and barriers when seeking services. Implications of these findings are discussed as well as the need for continued research efforts.

Though many treatment programs for adolescent sexual offenders identify specific clinical goals such as the reduction of cognitive distortions, the enhancement of sexual knowledge, the development of prosocial attitudes toward sexual behavior, the enhancement of empathic abilities, and the enhancement of an offender's self-esteem, there remains a deficit in research assessing the attainment of these treatment goals. Using a cross-over longitudinal design, the present study examines pretreatment and posttreatment data collected from a residential sex offender program for incarcerated adolescent males (N = 100). The observed results provided support for the attainment of the program's clinical goals with significant changes observed in the levels of cognitive distortions, sexual knowledge, attitudes about sexual behavior, and self-esteem. Partial support was observed as related to the goal of enhancing offender empathic abilities. The need for continued research examining treatment outcomes and the utility of employing existing measures in evaluating treatment is discussed.

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Although there is a considerable body of knowledge about domestic violence, a limited proportion focuses on domestic violence in rural settings. Using a nonprobability purposive sampling technique, 93 providers of domestic violence services from rural and urban localities in North Carolina and Virginia were located and asked to complete a self-administered survey soliciting provider perceptions about service consumers, the general public, themselves, and inter- and intra-agency issues. Significant differences were observed between rural and urban providers about service consumer needs and experiences, perceptions about the general public, area resource availability, agency funding, provider training, and worker safety. Implications of these differences are discussed.

This study compared the personality characteristics of adolescent sexual offenders by examining the extent, if any, to which personality differences exist between adolescents who offend against their peers and adolescents who offend against young children. The sample consisted of 36 adolescent offenders (16 peer offenders and 20 child offenders) committed to Virginia's Department of Youth and Family Services. Subjects were administered the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) and compared on six of its subscales. The results suggest that adolescent child offenders are more schizoid, dependent, and avoidant than adolescent peer offenders. Such results may be helpful in designing treatment programs for these subtypes of adolescent sexual offenders.KEY WORDS: adolescent sexual offenders; offender assessment; MCMI; sexual offender typology.