Identifying Key Pathways into Sexual Offending for Juvenile Offenders and Exploring Possible Differences for the Aboriginal Community

Abstract

Identifying the pathways that can contribute to offending behaviour can be useful to reduce offending and inform treatment development and improve therapeutic targeting for those who have offended. There are also some grounds for thinking that Aboriginal pathways might be different to those of non-Aboriginal offenders. This is because Australian Aboriginals face many additional adversities emanating from the experience of disadvantage, prejudice and ongoing genocidal pressures. In post-colonial societies, indigenous communities are generally overrepresented in both victim and offender populations. In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, where this study was conducted, this includes sexual offending, despite strong taboos against such behaviours within the Aboriginal community. The current study attempted to identify the key pathways into sexual offending for juveniles in general, and to see if the Aboriginal population of young sexual offenders differed in any way. Theory is sparse in this area so a multiple case study design utilising grounded theory methodology was implemented. Though similar models have been developed for adult male and female offenders (Gannon, Rose & Ward., 2008), pathway models have not been previously developed for these groups of juvenile offenders. Data were collected via structured interviews with therapists and case managers who were working with this population. Fifty-six case studies were obtained from eight different therapists. From these, eight distinct pathways could be ascertained: complex trauma, poorly developed masculinities, disability, inappropriate sexualisation, dependent personality, deviant arousal, psychopathic nature and poor social skills without a trauma or disability background. Most juveniles displayed multiple pathways. Differences between the general and the Aboriginal offender groups were identified. Specifically, the Aboriginal offenders were more likely to have a trauma background, to have a disability and to have been inappropriately sexualised. These new data may help future theorising and intervention methods for this population.