Comparing the Criminal Careers of Juvenile Sex and Non-sex Offenders: A Semi-Parametric Group Based Modeling Approach

• In Event: A Longitudinal Study of Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders and the Transition to Adulthood: Are Juvenile Sex Offenders a Distinct Group?

Abstract

Although the majority of juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) will commit a non-sexual offense in emerging adulthood, few will commit a sex offense during this same period. Data were used from the study on Incarcerated Serious and Violent Young Offenders to examine whether criminal career trajectories, measured from age 12 to 23, qualitatively and/or quantitatively differed between JSOs (n = 54) and juvenile non-sex offenders (JNSOs; n = 293). Four unique offending trajectories were identified: a Low-Rate offending trajectory (20.2% of the sample), an Adolescence-Limited offending trajectory (43.8%), a High-Frequency Slow Desisting trajectory (13.0%), where offending in adolescence was frequent but began to desist in early adulthood, and a High Frequency Chronic trajectory (23.1%), where offending persisted through emerging adulthood. The distribution of JSOs in each trajectory mirrored the distribution of JNSOs in each offending trajectories. Better indicators of trajectory type included age of offending onset, number of violent convictions, length of time in custody, and offending versatility. The qualitative nature of offense types (e.g., violent, property offenses) were also informative of the severity of an individual’s criminal career pattern. Similarities in the criminal career patterns of JSOs and JNSOs challenge previously held notions that JNSOs are more antisocial than JSOs.

Authors

• Evan McCuish, Simon Fraser University

• Patrick Lussier, Laval University

• Raymond R. Corrado, Simon Fraser University