child/adolescent sexual aggression reporting procedures

["Mark J. Chaffin" <Mark-Chaffin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,

I believe one of the key points in structuring a response to child and
adolescent aggressive sexual behavior involves creating a system with
flexibility commensurate with the diversity of the population.  After all,
you are talking about everything from small children who grab at genitals
all the way to predatory 17 year-old rapists.  

In our community (Oklahoma City), many young children are typically referred
to our outpatient treatment program by informal sources (schools, day-cares,
mental health providers, physicians, etc.) with little or no system
involvement.  The largest group are referred by child protective services
who contracts for their treatment services.  Law enforcement or  the
juvenile justice system are rarely involved for children under 12, and the
behavior is not approached as a crime.  We have found little need for
institutional placements for these younger children, and outpatient
behavioral management programs of a few months in duration have proven quite
adequate.  Children remain in their own homes, or in kinship or foster care.

Adolescents , on the other hand, typically are law-enforcement and juvenile
justice system involved, and the behavior is approached as a crime.  The
younger and less serious end of the adolescent spectum may be handled
through prosecutorial or court diversion programs (although all cases still
get a probation officer for at least the duration of treatment--which we
find to be a major positive), and are typically seen in outpatient treatment
for around one year.  The court makes it very clear that regular parental
involvement in outpatient treatment is expected, and we have no difficulty
securing this in the majority of cases.  These youngsters remain in the
community, in their own home or in a kinship home.  In addition to special
sex offender programming, these youngsters may receive a mentor, electronic
monitoring, in-home or in-school services, etc.  

For the more severe end of the adolescent spectrum (and/or where the family
may not be able to provide even minimal supervision), diversion is not used,
and the youngster may traverse an array of placement levels, ranging from
therapeutic foster care to specialized community homes to secure group homes
to residential care to maximum security juvenile institutional programs.  At
the most extreme end of the spectrum, there is remand to the adult
correctional system--where the service options actually are far more limited
and the main emphasis is containment.

The main advantage of this system is its flexibility--it is easier to find a
"fit" for a youngster. Also, in my opinion, it avoids unnecessary and
possibly harmful stigmatization of young children.  I've seen cases where a
line was not drawn between children and adolescents, and children were
placed in the juvenile system and in facilities along with adolescents with
disasterous results.  The disadvantage is that it is complex to manage and
fund, and requires a clear understanding and buy-in by CPS, probation,
prosecution, judges and providers.  For example, if a prosecutor wants to
"look tough" by remanding the the adult system, the result will be that the
teenager will not have access to services--because the services are all
owned by the juvenile justice system.  The structure of the service system
(e.g. who buys or owns the services--juvenile justice or CPS) in many ways
determines who will be handling the case.  So, its important to think
through where you want these kids handled when you structure your service
system.


Mark Chaffin, Ph.D.
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
P.O. Box 26901; CHO 3406
Oklahoma City, OK  73190
(405) 271-8858; fax 271-2931
mark-chaffin@ouhsc.edu