title: Risk and Outcomes: Are Adolescents Charged with Sex Offenses Different from Other Adolescent Offenders?
abstract: Juveniles who have committed sexual offenses are subject to specialized treatment and policies based on their assumed unique dangerousness, despite contradictory evidence. Limited information is available regarding risk factors and their relationships to outcomes in this population. The comparative frequency and predictive utility of empirically supported risk factors for general delinquency were examined using data from the Pathways to Desistance study. Adolescent males who committed sexual offenses (n = 127) were compared to adolescent males who committed non-sexual offenses (n = 1021). At the start of the study, the sample ranged in age from 14 to 18 (M = 16.00, SD = 1.12) and self-identified as primarily African American (44 %), Latino (29 %), or White (25 %). Outcomes were measured over 7 years and included general and sexual recidivism, involvement in school and work, and positive relationships with peers and adults. The results indicated a few small differences in the presence of risk factors and their relationship to outcomes, with many similarities. Juveniles who have committed sexual offenses had equivalent general recidivism but higher sexual recidivism, though this rate was low (7.87 %, or 10 of the 127 adolescents who had committed sexual offenses). New clinical and policy approaches may be needed given the similarities between groups.
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto University, 1791 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA. afanniff@paloaltou.edu.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fanniff
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Mulvey
authors.affiliation: Teaching Lab Building, Room 2019, University of North Carolina-Wilmington (UNCW), 601 South College Road, Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Iselin
authors.affiliation: Program in Criminology, EPPS, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, GR31, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
authors.forename: Alex R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Piquero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D000075665:Recidivism; D012307:Risk Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People
keywords: Juvenile delinquency; Juvenile justice; Juvenile sex offenders; Recidivism; Risk/need factors