Section 2: Overview
2 Hours
TOPIC: OVERVIEW
Introduction
Use
Slide #1: The Effective Management of Juvenile Sex Offenders in the Community
Use
Slide #2: Key Topics for This Section
Most of the time, when the term “sex offender” is used, people think of adult men who commit sex offenses. However, it is important to understand that some adolescents engage in sexually abusive behavior as well.
In this section, we are going to take a look at some national data which reveal that juvenile–perpetrated sex offenses are in fact a significant problem. Then we will discuss the ways in which society and the field have responded to these youth over time.
We will then review some of the current literature about these youth and highlight some key similarities and differences between adults and juveniles who commit sex offenses. And we will end this section with a brief discussion about how our current knowledge about these youth has implications for our approaches to managing them.
Goals
Before we begin, let’s review the goals and objectives for this section.
At the end of this section of the curriculum, participants will be able to understand:
- What national data tells us about the incidence and prevalence of sex offenses committed by juveniles;
- How the juvenile justice systems’ responses to these cases have evolved over time;
- Critical findings in the current literature about juvenile sex offenders, including key similarities and differences between adults and juveniles who commit sex offenses; and
- How what we know about juvenile sex offenders should impact the ways in which we manage them.