NCJ Number
244323
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: July-August 2013 Pages: 232-245
Date Published
August 2013
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This British study examined juvenile sexual offenders.
Abstract
The individual, family and abuse characteristics of 700 children and young people referred to 9 UK services over a 9-year period between 1992 and 2000 as a result of their sexually abusive behaviors were examined. The most common age at referral was 15 years, though a third of all referrals related to children aged 13 or under. Thirty-eight percent of the samples were identified as learning disabled. Surprisingly high rates of sexual and non-sexual victimization were present in the backgrounds of the children and young people referred. A wide range of abusive behaviors was perpetrated with just over half of the sample having penetrated or having attempted to penetrate another individual. Victims were usually known to the abuser but in 75 percent of cases were not related. Fifty-one percent of the sample abused females only, though 49 percent had at least one male victim. The implications for policy and practice with children and young people with harmful sexual behaviors are discussed. Abstract published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.