Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment

Juvenile sex offenders are a growing problem in the United States. Juvenile sex offenders make up about one quarter of the total number of sex offenders throughout the nation. Though forcible rape, the most serious of sex crimes for juveniles, has decreased since 1997, other crimes have increased. The problem with juvenile offenders isn’t a question of whether it is a problem, but a question of how to address and resolve the problem.

Robert Longo treated adolescent sex offenders in the early 1980s. Offenses of these juveniles ranged from fondling girls a few years younger than themselves, to the brutal rape of young children. As part of treatment, Longo instructed the boys to keep journals of their sexual fantasies (which he read), and to attend meetings similar to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The boys began by introducing themselves as sex offenders, for example, “I’m Alex, and I’m a sex offender. I sexually offended an 8 year old boy by touching his penis, and making him touch mine.” Studying juvenile sex offenders was new during this time, and Longo later realized that much of his approach was wrong, and that there is no proof in applying adult sex offender treatment programs to juvenile offenders.

One contemporary issue with juvenile offenders is that they are treated the same as adult sex offenders. A well known example is Megan’s Law. Since 1994, federal legislation has required sex offenders to register with the police. In 1996, Megan’s Law went into affect, mandating law enforcement to notify the public about convicted offenders in the community. According to an article from The New York Times, “How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems?”, at least 25 states now apply Megan’s Law to juveniles. That means that on most websites, viewers can find juveniles’ photos, names and addresses. In some cases birthdates and maps to their homes are even available. Juvenile offenders are registered along with serious adult offenders, like pedophiles and adult rapists. One mistake made by a juvenile when he/she was young may alter their entire life, affecting future choices and events in their lives. An example can be made of an eighth grader at a Delaware middle school.

Johnnie (name changed for privacy), arrived at school to find kids pointing and laughing at him. He thought they maybe were laughing at his new haircut, until one kid called him a rapist, and threatened to beat him up. Four years earlier, when Johnnie was 11, he put his hand on his 4-year-old sister’s vagina, over her underwear. Several months later told her to perform oral sex on him. Johnnie’s mother called the police, and he was enrolled in a treatment program, which he completed with honors. According to his grandmother, Johnnie adored his sister; he used to make her pancakes and play wither her, and he even bullied her, like most siblings do. While his actions were by no means appropriate, they may be justified as a curious 11 year old acting on his sexual urges. Johnnie was removed from his home and forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Because his offense involved mouth to genital contact, in Delaware this crime qualified as second degree rape. In is unfair to put Johnnie in the same category as an adult offender convicted of repeatedly raping little girls, for example. A poor decision of an 11 year should not require a lifetime of embarrassment, bullying, and struggle.

What kinds of treatment programs are right for juveniles? In rare cases with juvenile sex crimes, incarceration may be needed for severe cases, along with treatment during and after incarceration. It is necessary to have post treatment not only for the “offender,” but for the juvenile’s family. Families sometimes do not know how to educate their children on social boundaries, and sometimes cannot pick up on cues that their child may have abnormal sexual urges or tendencies. Juvenile offenders cannot be treated as equals when it comes to sex crimes in the criminal justice system. The treatment of juvenile sex offenders is obviously a problem, and needs to be addressed on all levels. While the best solution for the treatment and rehabilitation of juvenile sex offenders is still unknown, possible treatments are being practiced and studied until a solution is found.


References:
Jones, Maggie. How Can You Distinguish a Budding Pedophile From a Kid With Real Boundary Problems? The New York Times June 2007.