A Review of the Professional Literature .
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 juveniles. 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 knowledge of adult sex offenders without adequate attention to the unique developmental needs of youth.