ABSTRACT
The increase in the population of juvenile sexual offenders in the last two decades has created a challenge for the juvenile justice system to provide treatment for the offenders while ensuring community safety. Due to current pressures on the system there is a need to further develop effective and empirical models that utilize integrated approaches for assessment and treatment. This chapter will present an applied behavior analysis (ABA) perspective to the treatment of juvenile sexual offenders. One such approach that we are advocating is the use of positive behavioral support (PBS) as a service delivery model based on a functional assessment of the juvenile’s sexual or challenging behaviors. This chapter also presents a theoretical model based on approaches from clinical behavior analysis relating to the development
of challenging behaviors of juvenile sexual offenders who have been sexually abused and a framework to complete a functional assessment. The goal is to present an integrated system for the assessment process and treatment of juvenile sexual offenders within the community setting.
