Official delinquency and victimization of a cohort of 1429 adolescent sexual offenders
More than half of adult sexual offenders admitted committing their first sexual crime before turning 18 years of age. Thirty percent of reported sex crimes are committed by teenagers. It is therefore crucial to better understand this population. The present study will allow a description of a cohort of adolescent sexual offenders (ASO) who committed a sexual offense between 2005 and 2010 (n =1429). A descriptive analysis (Average, median and standard deviation) will be presented identifying socio-demographic characteristics, history of delinquency and childhood experience of maltreatment. Results indicate that the ASO committed their first sexual offence at an average age of 14,5 years (S-D = 1,6). The parameters of juvenile delinquency have identified three different profiles among ASO: juvenile offenders who committed a single crime (52,8 %), juvenile offenders with a small variety of 2 to 10 crimes (35,8 %) and juvenile offenders with a diverse and repetitive delinquency (approximately 5 %). Moreover, ASO are primarily committing offences involving a degree of violence (M = 2,6 violent offenses per ASO; S-D= 2,6). With regards to the population’s victimization history, more than 8 out of 10 adolescents (82 %) have been reported to the “Direction de la Protection de la Jeunesse” (DPJ). This description is based on offences and victimization history listed in the database of “Centres Jeunesses”. This portrait does not include the hidden and unreported offences and victimization.