An Exploration of Racial Differences Among Male Youth Adjudicated for Sexual Offenses

ABSTRACT

In 2019, the male adjudicated youth (AY) population in correctional facilities was 33% White and 67% minority. Yet, the distribution among male AY charged with sexual offenses (AYSOs) was 55% White and 45% minority, highlighting the lack of disproportionate minority contact within the AYSO population. Little research on AYSOs has focused explicitly on exploring racial differences within this population. Using secondary data from 720 AY 11–18 years of age, the goal of this exploratory study was to identify differences in length of detention, presence of clinical syndromes, attachment patterns, and childhood trauma experiences among a sample of AYSOs and AYs by race category. Although few racial differences were identified among AYSOs, study results overwhelmingly highlighted differences between AYSOs and AYs.

KEYWORDS:

• Youth adjudicated for sexual offenses
• adjudicated youth
• race
• ethnicity
• social determinants of health
• identity
• treatment planning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Maria E. Torres

Maria E. Torres, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare in Stony Brook, New York, USA. Dr. Torres is a practice-informed researcher focused on improving the quality of healthcare treatment received by individuals holding marginalized identities. Her scholarship focuses on promoting cultural and structural competency in clinical practice and behavioral health workforce development and training.

Alejandro Leguízamo

Alejandro Leguízamo, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, US. Dr. Leguízamo is also the Graduate Program Director in the Department of Psychology. His research focuses on diversity and cultural issues on the assessment and treatment of individuals who have committed sexual aggression and/or offenses and on predictors of psychological wellbeing in diverse populations. He is also a practicing Forensic Psychologist.

George Leibowitz

George Leibowitz, Ph.D., LICSW is Dean and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University School of Social Work. Previously, Dr. Leibowitz served a Professor and Doctoral Program Director at Stony Brook University’s (SBU) School of Social Welfare, and he also has a visiting appointment at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai. He has been working as an interdisciplinary researcher and implementation scientist focused on the social determinants of health, forensic social work, and community-engaged informatics. Additionally, for more than 20 years he provided consultation, training, risk assessments and clinical treatment with adolescents with sexually harmful behavior.