Juvenile Sex Offending Theories

687 Words3 Pages
1. What are some theories about juvenile sex offending? According to the UCR, 30 percent of the rapes in the United States are committed by juveniles. While much research has been studied of why juveniles commit sex offenses nonetheless it continues to be a widespread dilemma that needs to be urgently identified in juveniles to detect early behavioral signs prior to committing more serious sexual offenses. Research suggests that sex offenders tend to have long pre-existing problems with society before the actual offense takes place. Juvenile sex offenders already have criminal records that include burglary, robbery, kidnapping, abduction, or murder. Criminal and antisocial behaviors in juveniles include shoplifting, steal, arson, bullying,…show more content…
“What is the correlation that connects social learning theory and juvenile delinquency together? Richard A. Cloward and Lloyd E. Ohlin, authors of Delinquency and Opportunity, reflected on the theories of Edwin H. Sutherland a criminologist that proclaimed, “… that opportunity consists at least in part, of learning structures. Thus ‘criminal behavior is learned’ and, furthermore it is leaned ‘in interaction with other persons in a process of communication’ ” (Cloward & Ohlin, 2004). The act of deviance is influenced and learned by imitating or modeling deviant behavior, which in most cases are negative reinforcements.” Social learning theory is explained to be an underlying theory in understanding juvenile sex offenders. Learning theory holds that juvenile sex offenders are linked to family dysfunction, violence, lack of attachments and bonds, excessive use of pornography, history of sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and substance…show more content…
The Physical and Sexual Abuse affect juvenile sex offenders vary widely based on their abusive histories. “The history of physical abuse has been found in 20 to 50 percent of juvenile sex offenders and history of sexual abuse has been found in 40 to 80 percent.” The impacts of abusive experiences that transpire during an adolescent’s lifetime involve effects related to both Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and modeling. Young children ages 13 and younger that have sexual behavior disorders suffer from symptoms that include increased levels of irritability and anger. According to Center for Sex Offender Management, “youths who have directly experienced or witnessed sexual abuse may imitate the behavior of the aggressive role models in their interactions with others.” The exposure to a violent atmosphere placed on young adolescents by role models can later have serious consequences. For example “studies show that male child witnesses to domestic violence tend to engage in externalizing behaviors (the acting-out of psychological conflict or tension), including acts of interpersonal aggression, more than their female counterparts (Stagg et al,

More about Juvenile Sex Offending Theories

Open Document