Criminal Profiles of Violent Juvenile Sex and Violent Juvenile Non–Sex Offenders An Explorative Longitudinal Study

• Published in: Journal of interpersonal violence Vol. 22; no. 10; pp. 1340 - 1355
• Main Authors: van Wijk, Anton Ph, Mali, Bas R. F., Bullens, Ruud A. R., Vermeiren, Robert R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.10.2007
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Antisocial Personality Disorder - psychology; Crime; Criminals; Delinquency; Humans; Individual Characteristics; Intervention; Juvenile Delinquency - psychology; Juvenile Justice; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Netherlands; Personality Assessment; Police; Prisoners - psychology; Profiles; Research Design; Sex Offenses - psychology; Sexual Abuse; Socioeconomic Factors; Violence; Netherlands; comparative study; juvenile sex offenders; longitudinal; criminal profiles
• ISSN: 0886-2605; 1552-6518
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260507304802

Few studies have longitudinally investigated the criminal profiles of violent juvenile sex and violent juvenile non–sex offenders. To make up for this lack, this study used police records of juveniles to determine the nature of the criminal profiles of violent sex offenders (n = 226) and violent non–sex offenders (n = 4,130). All offenders committed their first offense in 1996 and were followed for 7 years. Results showed that violent sex offenders and violent non–sex offenders cannot be considered a homogeneous group because of different background characteristics and criminal profiles. Sex and violent offenses often constitute a small part of a broader criminal pattern. Further research is necessary to reveal in more detail the developmental and criminological patterns of violent and sexual delinquency. Treatment and intervention programs may benefit from this.