Sex offenses committed by juveniles are a serious problem. Nearly 16 percent of the arrests for forcible rape in 1995 and 17 percent of the arrests for all other sex offenses in 1995 involved youth under the age of 18. Perhaps even more disturbing are the indications that one in two adult sex offenders began sexually abusive behavior as a juvenile.

The costs imposed by juvenile sex offending are considerable, not only those inflicted on crime victims and society as a whole, but also those imposed on offenders and their families.

As with other delinquent behaviors, early intervention can be critical. Unfortunately, many programs used to treat juveniles who have committed sex offenses appear to apply interventions derived from our knowledge of adult sex offenders without adequate attention to the unique developmental needs of youth.

The authors of Juveniles Who Have Sexually Offended have diligently mined the research literature to provide a comprehensive and annotated account of the characteristics of juveniles who commit sex offenses and their families, and the type of offenses they commit.

A broad array of clinical assessment tools, including psychological testing, are described, and a thorough discussion of recidivism rates and issues is presented. The Report concludes with a review of treatment approaches and settings and a look at program assessment.

Youth who have committed sex offenses both have developmental needs and pose unique risks related to their abusive behaviors. The information provided by the review of the professional literature presented in this Report should enable us to better address those needs and risks.