Juvenile Sexual Offenders in Western Australia: Demographic Characteristics and Offence Histories

Very few empirical data are available in respect of juvenile sexual offenders in Australia in general, and Western Australia in particular. In order to address this need a comprehensive study was undertaken to provide, inter alia, a description of juvenile sexual offenders in Western Australia and of their offence histories. The records of 334 juvenile sexual offenders convicted in the Western Australian Children's Court (Children's Court) from January 1990 until the end of June 1998 were investigated using information obtained from official records. Aboriginal offenders were over-represented and 97.6% of offenders were male. Rape was the most prevalent sexual offence. Nearly half of the male offenders had convictions for prior and 27.6% for concurrent non-sexual offences. Property offences were the most common type of non-sexual offence.