The Effects of Specialized Sex Offender Treatment on Juvenile Recidivism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• In Event: Connecting Research to Practice Using the Standardized Program Evaluation Protocol (SPEP™): Improving Juvenile Justice Outcomes

Abstract

Juvenile sex offenders are often considered a “special” type of offender in need of specialized treatment. However, a growing body of research has suggested that most juvenile sex offenders are highly similar to general juvenile offenders who commit non-sexual offenses. This calls into question the need for specialized treatment of juvenile sex offenders. The current study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of random controlled trials (RCTs) and high-quality quasi-experimental studies examining the effects of specialized sex offender treatment on juveniles’ recidivism for sexual and general re-offenses. The systematic review yielded a final sample of eight unique studies including 819 juvenile sex offenders. The small number of studies that met methodological criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis suggests a need for more high-quality research on juvenile sex offender programs. Meta-analytic findings highlight differences between the effects of specialized and non-specialized treatment for juvenile sex offenders on both sexual and general re-offense rates. These results have practical implications for the treatment of juvenile sex offenders.

Author

• Heather Hensman Kettery, Vanderbilt University