In the last decade, it has been recognized that juveniles commit as much as 20% of all sexual offenses in the United States (DOJ, 2004). Research that attempts to understand why young people commit sex crimes points to an array of family factors that may uniquely contribute to the development of sexual offending over and above general juvenile delinquency. This study specifically examines disrupted caregiving, or receiving insufficient or substitute care, as a potential moderator in the relationship between offense status and caregiver-child relationship quality. Four distinct moderators were tested: gender of caregiver, biological relationship between caregiver and child, number of times the youth has changed caregivers, and child maltreatment history. Results indicate that juvenile sexual offenders have particularly poor relationships with their primary caregivers, and that caregiver gender, biological relationship between caregiver and child, and child maltreatment history act as moderators. Thus, while juvenile sexual offenders in general have poor relationships with their caregivers, those with male caregivers and those who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, have relationships that are even worse. In contrast, sexual offenders raised by non-biological caregivers showed better relationship quality than did youth raised by their biological parents. These findings suggest opportunities for early intervention, before caregiving is disrupted. Furthermore, additional supports may be offered to youth whose family structures suggest that they may be at increased risk.

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of why social workers believe a male juvenile would commit a sexual abuse act toward another child and how this juvenile should be understood within the social services system and society. Social workers believe interventions are needed once the abuse has occurred.

The problem that motivated the study was that the way in which juvenile sex offenders are configuring themselves, and the way that self-development is currently understood, potentially has negative implications for the way they may be treated in therapy. The Gestalt paradigm was the lens through which this phenomenon was explored. The research method was from a qualitative perspective and was an explorative and descriptive analysis of the factors that contribute to this self-configuration. Data was collected by way of unstructured and semi-structured interviews and systematically represented by the emergent themes. Results showed the factors that contribute to the self-configuration of the juvenile sex offender. Recommendations were made to the juveniles, their caretakers and the social workers. The researcher concluded that the Gestalt approach to self-configuration, with its emphasis on the field and relationships, provides a coherent lens through which to approach the phenomenon of juvenile sex offenders. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is recognized as a public health problem with consequences affecting all levels of the ecological model. In recent years it has been recognized that up to 40% of reported sexual offenses occur at the hands of adolescent offenders (Burton, 2000), who are defined as children aged 12-18 years. In recent years, research has suggested that attachment deficits contribute to sexual offending behavior in adolescence. The current study augments the sparse research with adolescent offenders and by exploring of the participant's perceived attachment to important others (mother/mother figures, father/father figures, and peers/friends). Participants included 101 Juvenile sex offenders (JSO) and 97 Juvenile Delinquents (JD) detained in Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) facilities during the summer of 2010. Significant differences were found in adolescents' attachment to father/father figures in both overall attachment and a perceived degree of trust. Additionally JSO also showed a higher level of alienation from father/father figures and lower in overall perceived degree of trust with all important others. These findings may provide an opportunity for early intervention strategies, as well as support programs designed to strengthen or develop connections between adolescent offenders and positive male role models to enhance the effectiveness of juvenile sex offender treatment.

The problem that motivated the study was that the way in which juvenile sex offenders are configuring themselves, and the way that self-development is currently understood, potentially has negative implications for the way they may be treated in therapy. The Gestalt paradigm was the lens through which this phenomenon was explored. The research method was from a qualitative perspective and was an explorative and descriptive analysis of the factors that contribute to this self-configuration. Data was collected by way of unstructured and semi-structured interviews and systematically represented by the emergent themes. Results showed the factors that contribute to the self-configuration of the juvenile sex offender. Recommendations were made to the juveniles, their caretakers and the social workers. The researcher concluded that the Gestalt approach to self-configuration, with its emphasis on the field and relationships, provides a coherent lens through which to approach the phenomenon of juvenile sex offenders. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been recognized as a widespread and devastating problem in our society. Definitional challenges result in a broad range of prevalence rates for CSA varying from 60/0 to 62% for females and 30/0 to 31 % for males (Finkelhor, Araji, Baron, Browne, Peters, & Wyatt, 1986). Although CSA affects our nation's children in epidemic proportions, researchers have found little conclusive evidence regarding CSA precursors. One promising area for exploring the etiology of CSA may be the differential patterns of sexual fantasies in juvenile and adult sex offenders. Abel, Becker, Mittleman, Cunningham-Rathner, Rouleau and Murphy (1987) found that more than 40% of non-familial child molesters reported the development of deviant sexual fantasies prior to sexually offending. Despite variations in offender subgroups, Marshall, Barbaree and Eccles (1991) found that 22% of the offenders experienced deviant fantasies prior to their first sexual offense. Unfortunately, the literature in this area has been quite limited despite its potential. Understanding offender similarities and differences in adult and juvenile populations may be important due to the large proportion of the offender population who begin sexually offending as juveniles and due to the treatment modalities that may be implemented for developmentally different offenders. As many as 500/0 of adult sex offenders have reported sexually deviant behavior beginning in adolescence (Becker, 1988; Ferhenbach, Smith, Monastersky & Deisher, 1986; Marshall, Barbaree, & Eccles, 1991). Juveniles have also been identified as perpetrators in more than half of all cases (Fehrenbach, Smith, Monastersky, & Deisher, 1986). This study investigates the relationship between offenders' sexual fantasies and their use of physical force to sexually offend. This investigation was also designed to examine the similarities and differences between adult and adolescent sexual offenders on these dimensions. Findings reveal an empirical relationship between offenders' fantasies and behaviors in sexual offending. It is anticipated that additional knowledge regarding potential relationships between fantasies and behaviors will assist in assessing and intervening with accused and convicted sexual offenders. Potential implications for clinical assessment and intervention into sexual abuse are discussed as well as the potential for understanding maintenance factors in the continuation of sexual abuse.