Juvenile Sexual Homicide: A Review of Offender, Victim, and Offense Characteristics

Sexual homicide (or sexual murder) is a rare incident and is broadly defined as a homicide that is committed with an apparent or underlying sexual motivation. Little is known about the offending dynamics of juvenile offenders who commit sexual murders. This chapter first outlines the prevalence and nature of juvenile sexual murders. It then focuses on synthesizing the recent findings on juvenile sexual homicides and sexual murderers to better understand their overall offending patterns and process (i.e., offender, victim, and offense characteristics). Notable similarities and differences between juvenile and adult sexual homicide offenders are discussed. The chapter concludes with suggestions for further research to inform both research and practice in this field.