The role of neglect and disordered attachment in the childhood of adolescent male sex offenders : a project based upon an independent investigation

Sexual abuse by adolescent males continues to be a serious problem that receives little recognition and attention in research. While a majority of sexual offenses are committed by adults, roughly 20% are committed by adolescents (Barbaree, 2006). Over 45% of adolescent males in residential treatment begin sexually deviant behaviors before the age of 12 (Burton, 2000). Similarly, while maltreatment and attachment is mentioned in research on adolescent sexual offenders, few researchers have studied the role of emotional and physical neglect on the lives of adolescent sexual offenders. In this sample physical abuse and poverty were both significant predicting the number of victims that adolescent sex offenders perpetrated against, while poor attachment with a caregiver and the experience of emotional neglect were not