Dominique Roe-Sepowitz

Juvenile Entry Into Prostitution: The Role of Emotional Abuse

This study seeks to assess the nature and extent of childhood emotional abuse among adult women in a residential prostitution-exiting program. Regression analyses were conducted to assess the unique role of childhood emotional abuse in the prediction of age of entry into prostitution. Childhood emotional abuse, a history of running away during childhood, and participating in survival-based exchanges of sex were significantly associated with the commercial sexual exploitation of girls younger than age 18, while childhood emotional abuse contributed to predicting a younger age of entry. Results are discussed regarding policy, prevention, and future research.

Comparing Male and Female Juveniles Charged With Homicide: Child Maltreatment, Substance Abuse, and Crime Details

This study examines a sample of 136 male and female juveniles charged with attempted homicide or homicide. The purpose of this study is to explore the differences between nondirect file male and female juvenile homicide offenders regarding individual, family, and crime circumstances. Findings suggest that compared to male juvenile offenders, female juvenile homicide offenders have higher rates of reported childhood abuse, more serious substance abuse, and mental health problems including suicidal ideations, depression, anxiety, anger, and irritability. Male juvenile homicide offenders reported higher rates of substance use than their female counterparts but the females had more serious substance abuse problems. Female juveniles were found to more often kill a person known to them and male homicide offenders were found to more often kill a stranger. These findings suggest strongly that male and female juvenile homicide offenders are dissimilar and require unique assessment and treatment.

Examining the sexual offenses of female juveniles: The relevance of childhood maltreatment

Research on female juvenile sex offenders is limited by small clinical samples. Little is known about the characteristics of female sexual offending and how it is related to child maltreatment. This study examines data from the case histories of 118 female juvenile sex offenders. In contrast to portrayals in previous research, this study shows that female sex offenders are not a homogeneous group. Findings also included differentiation between female juvenile sexual offenders with a history of child maltreatment and those without a history of child maltreatment. Female juvenile sex offenders who had a history of child maltreatment were more likely to have a current mental health diagnosis and experience clinical levels of anger--irritability and depression--anxiety than those without a history of child maltreatment. The impact of a history of sexual abuse for female juvenile sex offenders was found to be important with regard to higher levels of coercion of their sexual abuse victims. Important distinctions are highlighted that have implications for female-specific assessment, treatment, and prevention.

Age at Entry into Prostitution: Relationship to Drug Use, Race, Suicide, Education Level, Childhood Abuse, and Family Experiences

This study seeks to explore factors related to age at entry into prostitution. Participants were 389 women arrested for prostitution who had attended a diversion program. Women who entered prostitution as minors were found to be more likely to be African-American; report having a family member with a substance use problem; have a history of attempted suicide; and not have completed middle or high school. The age at first drug use was found to significantly impact the reported age at entry. Key areas for intervention should include improving school connectedness and preventing adolescent substance abuse, specifically for African-Americans.

Early childhood intervention and early adolescent social and emotional competence: second-generation evaluation evidence from the Chicago Longitudinal Study

Background: To explore whether social or emotional outcomes for high-risk early adolescent youth that attended an established preventive intervention called the Chicago Child–Parent Center Preschool Program (CPC) are moderated by individual, family and program variations. Purpose: Two questions are addressed: (1) Do the effects of CPC preschool participation on early adolescent social and emotional competency vary by sex of child, family risk status, parent education and family structure? (2) Do estimated effects on early adolescent social and emotional competency vary by program length in the preschool and school-age components of the program? Programme description: Located in or close to elementary schools in the Chicago public school system, the CPC program provides educational and family-support services to children between the ages of 3 and 9 (preschool to 2nd or 3rd grade). Within a structure of comprehensive services similar to Head Start, the intervention emphasises the acquisition of basic skills in language arts and math through relatively structured but diverse learning experiences that include teacher-directed, whole-class instruction, small-group and individualised activities, and frequent field trips. Sample: Data for this investigation were drawn from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS). The CLS follows a cohort of 1539 disadvantaged, minority children (93% African-American, 7% Latino or Other) who were born in 1980 and attended kindergarten programs within the Chicago Public School System in 1985/86. Out of the full sample of 1539, a subset of 989 children (64% of the sample) received preschool services from one of Chicagos 20 Child–Parent Center (CPC) programs. An additional set of 550 children (36% of the sample) did not attend CPC preschool and serve as a non-CPC comparison group. The study sample are 1378 primarily African-American youth who participated in the CLS and had scores for two or more identifiable social and emotional competency indicators by age 15. Design and methods: Follow-up of a non-randomised alternative intervention matched-group cohort at age 15 years. Differential effects were estimated using multiple regression. Program interaction terms (e.g., program × sex or program × parent high school graduate) were added to the basic regression model specification that already included the main effects of each variable included in the interaction. Results: Some 12% (or 11 of 92) of the interaction terms for social and emotional outcomes by age 15 were significant at the 0.01 or 0.05 level. The most frequently detected differential effects were for family risk level (high or low) and sex of child. Conclusions: Most children appear to benefit equally from participation in the CPC program. The prediction from ecological theory that children experiencing a large number of environmental risk factors (e.g., high family risk status and low parental education levels) are more likely to benefit from program participation was supported.

Adult prostitution recidivism: Risk factors and impact of a diversion program

The purpose of this study was to explore the risk factors and the impact of a prostitution diversion program on prostitution recidivism. Risk factors and recidivism were explored using chi-square, t tests, and survival analysis. Participants were 448 individuals who were arrested for prostitution and attended a prostitution-focused diversion program. Of the sample, 65 were rearrested for prostitution (14.5 %) within the first 12 months after the arrest leading to their involvement in the diversion program. Prior arrest for prostitution, addiction to drugs and/or alcohol, and childhood physical abuse were found to be risk factors for prostitution rearrest. The relationship between program completion and recidivism was found to be significant with the participants who completed all program requirements less likely to have been rearrested. Future studies on risk factors for recidivism and program impact should include separating males and females as well as exploring those who began sex work before age 18 compared to those who began after age 18. The program components could also be provided to women while incarcerated to compare risk factors and the impact on recidivism.

The Impact of Abuse History and Trauma Symptoms on Successful Completion of a Prostitution-exiting Program

This study examines the trauma symptoms and life experiences of 49 women in a residential prostitution-exiting program and identifies differences among women who complete 90 days of the program and women who drop out of the program prior to completing 90 days. The majority of the women reported childhood abuse, adult abusive relationships, and victimization. Women who completed 90 days of treatment were found to be older than the non-completers. Non-completers were more likely to report clinically significant trauma symptoms including dissociation, poor coping behaviors, sex-related issues, and dysfunctional sexual behavior than completers. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating trauma-focused intervention early in the services provided in the exiting programs as well as the need to address the traumatic symptoms related to childhood and adult trauma histories. Findings also indicate the importance of clinically addressing trauma-related sexual issues, concerns, and behavior.

Male and Female Juveniles Arrested for Murder A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Data by Offender Gender

Murders committed by juveniles remain a serious concern in the United States. Most studies on juvenile homicide offenders (JHOs) have used small samples and have concentrated on male offenders. As a result, little is known about female JHOs and how they differ from their male counterparts on a national level. This study utilized the Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) database to examine more than 40,000 murders committed by male and female juvenile offenders from 1976 to 2005. This research effort, the most expansive to date, replicated previous findings with respect to gender differences using bivariate and multivariate analyses. As predicted, six variables used to test eight hypotheses with respect to male and female JHOs in single-victim incidents were significant (victim age, victim–offender relationship, murder weapon, offender count, victim gender, and homicide circumstance). Regression analysis revealed that all variables remained significant when entered into the model. This article concludes with a discussion of our findings and directions for future research.

The Impact of Child Abuse on Dissociative Symptoms: A Study of Incarcerated Women

ABSTRACT One-hundred and ninety-two incarcerated women who were participating in a trauma and abuse psychoeducation program were evaluated for childhood abuse, maltreatment and current dissociative symptoms. The link between childhood abuse and adult criminal behavior has been well studied but the mental health status of adult female inmates and the possible implications for their treatment and behavior is the next step. The participants reported high levels of childhood abuse, 68% reported molestation, 72% rape, 26% emotional abuse, 51% physical abuse. Almost half of the participants reported a clinically significant level of dissociative symptoms. The dissociative group was found to have higher rates of sexual, emotional and physical abuse. They were younger and had shorter sentences. A logistic regression model was developed with only physical abuse being a predictor of clinically significant dissociative symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of how the high level of dissociative symptoms may impact future delinquency and corrections staff and possible future research.

Putting the Pieces Back Together: A Group Intervention for Sexually Exploited Adolescent Girls

Domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) is an emerging problem affecting adolescents, families, and communities throughout the United States. Despite a growing awareness of the problem, information regarding treatment is limited. This article describes a pilot group intervention created for use with DMST victims, focusing specifically on areas that were critical to the development and life of the group: (1) providing education about DMST, (2) reducing shame and addressing stigma, (3) mutual aid, and (4) managing strong emotions through the development of new coping skills. Process examples are given to illustrate this pilot intervention, and recommendations for research and practice are discussed.