Juvenile Sex Offenders

Abstract

Adolescent sex offending is now recognized as a significant issue in juvenile justice. Research indicates that youthful sex offenders are a heterogeneous group with a variety of serious problems. Considerable progress has been made in the development of typologies and assessment instruments. In addition, there are now a number of promising techniques for treatment. Prevention programs for children at high risk for becoming adolescent sex offenders should be developed in order to avoid the perpetration of sexual abuse offending.