Juvenile Sex Offenders: Predictors of Recidivism

Abstract

Juvenile sex offending is a growing problem in the United States. Victims and communities suffer greatly from their crimes. Because there is no one profile that fit these offenders it is hard to determine who will offend and who will not. Assessing the risk for sexual reoffense in juvenile sex offenders keeps both potential victims and communities safe. Therefore risk assessment is the most salient component of the overall assessment process of juvenile sex offenders. This study will provide both demographic and static risk factors that serve as predictors of reoffense in this population. Based on a multiple regression analysis those factors that serve as predictors in this sample are: age at time of offense, IQ score, parental marital status, severity of emotional abuse, severity of physical abuse and severity of emotional abuse. Variable from the STATIC-99 risk assessment instrument were also considered and the variable listed as predictors are” prior sex offenses, stranger victims, non-related victims, male victims, non-sexual contact convictions, index: non-sexual convictions, prior non-sexual assault and more than four sentencing occasions.