This book details the reality of juvenile sex offenses and dispels many myths. Despite the fact that the media bombard the public with the notion that sex offenders are everywhere - and could be just next door - official sources show that official sex offense rates have been steadily declining over the past 10 years. Yet, when a juvenile is accused of a sexually-based crime, media attention is swift and relentless. The truth about juvenile sex offenders is often, therefore, misunderstood. In many cases, such offenders are victims themselves. Here, the authors reveal the truth about juvenile sex offenders and what can be done to help them and to prevent the cycle of abuse that leads to such tragic outcomes.This book sets the records straight about juvenile sex offending. It provides accurate, up-to-date statistics, real life cases, and information about offender characteristics, victim characteristics, family factors, social issues, media involvement, and other related areas. It offers explanations for juvenile sex offending from a variety of perspectives and reviews legal and criminal responses to the problem. Included are discussions of female offenders and punitive measures to prevent repeat offenses. The authors conclude with advice on how to protect children from becoming victims and how to prevent sexual offending in the first place. Juvenile sex offenders are a topic of global interest and concern. This book includes discussions of little-examined issues such as female offenders, repeat offenders and very young offenders; provides examples of real life cases throughout; and addresses measures that can be taken to protect children from becoming victims and from committing offenses.