A crime script analysis of child sexual abuse in Youth-Serving Organisations: Using offending behaviours knowledge to raise awareness for reduction and prevention purposes

Abstract

In this study, the goal is to develop a crime script based on an Australian sample of incarcerated offenders who offended in Youth-Serving Organisations (YSOs) to provide insights into preventing child sexual abuse in those organisations. First, the study generates and presents a detailed empirical crime script on how sexual offenders operate in YSOs. Second, consistent with the main purpose of developing crime scripts, the script is utilised as a framework to discuss how this knowledge can be utilised to develop or improve current practices within YSOs. The implications of the script for YSOs are discussed for prevention purposes.

Keywords

Child sexual abuse sexual offenders crime script Youth-Serving Organisations environmental criminology prevention

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