Adolescent and Young Adult Male Sex Offenders: Understanding the Role of Recidivism

Abstract

The current review explores the complex paths that can lead to adolescent and young adult males becoming sexually abusive. Because sexual abuse is an ongoing issue in our society that is often oversimplified, this article distinguishes between the various risk factors that predict sexually abusive behavior and types of sex offenders, particularly recidivistic offenders. It is imperative to focus on adolescents and young adults who sexually abuse because they represent a particularly important intervention point in preventing sexual abuse in comparison to older age groups and address the importance of differentiating among youths who sexually abuse, particularly between one-time offenders and recidivistic offenders. Implications for addressing these differences are discussed.

Prevention-enhancing interactions: a Critical Interpretive Synthesis of the evidence about children who sexually abuse other children

“…Riser et al . 's () narrative review defines recidivism as reoffending. Recidivism is measured using either reconviction rates or self‐reporting by offenders.…”

An analysis of the psychosocial backgrounds of Youths (13–18) Who-Pose-Sexual-Risk to children

“…To ensure total anonymity we agreed that the LSCB would remain anonymous in any subsequent publication. Consequently, the data we used came from a social history protocol we designed based upon international research that identified a range of factors that was associated with Youths (518) who later became adult (18þ) Child-Sex-Abusers, to determine whether these Youths had similar characteristics (Almond, Canter, & Salfati, 2006;Craig et al, 2008;Christiansen & Vincent, 2013;Finkelhor, 2009;Pritchard, 2004;Reavis et al, 2013;Riser et al, 2013;Roe-Sepowitz & Krysik, 2008;Witztum et al, 2012;Wortley & Smallbone, 2014). We could not find a standardised questionnaire or protocol that was indicative of youths who posed a potential sexual risk to children.…”

“…Youths were either former or current LAC, or former Excluded-from-School (EFS) with those who were not 3. Youths who had been Formally Charged with a sex offence against another child versus those who had not been charged This last comparison is undertaken because a formal charge of a sex offence against a child within the general population is statistically extremely rare (Pritchard & Williams, 2009) and consequently might be considered as a serious indication that the young person is already at risk of recidivism (Christiansen and Vincent, 2013;Finkelhor, 2009;Reavis et al, 2013;Riser et al, 2013;Whitaker et al, 2012;Wortley & Smallbone, 2014).The subgroups were statistically tested using the non-parametric chi square test, which is appropriate for relatively small numbers.…”

“…Children who pose a sexual threat to other children raise major practice and policy issues (Erooga & Masson, 2002), however, most recent research in this field comes from North America (Christiansen and Vincent, 2013; Reavis, Looman, Franco, & Rojas, 2013; Riser, Pegram, & Farley, 2013; Wortley & Smallbone, 2014). While there is a limited body of recent empirical research concerning Youths-Who-Pose-Sexual-Risk (YWPSR) from continental Europe (Chakhssi, dew Ruiter, & Bernstein, 2013; Glowacz & Born, 2013; van der Put, Creemers, & Hoeve, 2014), there is relatively little recent empirical work from the UK.…”

Juvenile Sex Offenders

“…The research concerning sexual arousal of adolescent sex offenders, which indicates that their sexual interests and arousal are less fixated and more fluid, would appear to support this conclusion. The path to becoming sexually abusive appears to be complex (Riser et al 2013).…”