Using specific case examples, this paper offers several therapeutic principles and examples of their practical application to demonstrate brief and effective interventions to meet the challenges and needs of victims of sexual abuse and young perpetrators. The interventions are sufficiently flexible to work within the constraints imposed by…

A man with mental retardation, in detention for five years because of sex offenses with preadolescent boys, was not only diagnosed as having Klinefelter syndrome when a social worker read suspected the possibility and arranged for a chromosome test. The importance of a complete medical work-up is emphasized in such cases. (JDD)

Following up on "Child Abuse Storm Scale--Part 1" ("Child Care Information Exchange," Jan-Feb 1999) and Part 2 (Mar-Apr 1999), this article shares the current status of prominent sexual abuse in child care cases. Cases include McMartin Preschool, Fells Acres Day Care, Wee Care Nursery School (the Kelly Michaels case), Little Rascals, and Breezy…

U.S. Department of Education (DOE) data showed a 1999 increase in drug and alcohol arrests on college campuses. Also, the number of reported sex offenses rose by 6 percent from 1998-99. Some experts question the validity of the year-to-year comparisons and the DOE data. Presents statistics on sex offenses, drug use, and drinking and football. (SM)

Reviews precedent-setting cases dealing with sexual harassment by school personnel and school peers, noting similarities in the legal remedies used to assign liability. Summarizes these legal remedies and discusses the implications of the cases for educators. (JPB)

Building a shared vision in an organization that serves children is not a simple task. While the leaders may have an end in mind, it is imperative that all stakeholders feel ownership of that end goal. That can only be accomplished if the process itself reflects the vision. This article explains the process and practical strategies for building a…

Those who teach, or intend to teach, young children undergo careful scrutiny as to their suitability for the role of teacher. In general, professional monitoring of teaching standards and teacher qualities are reasonable expectations. However, a set of related cultural practices embedded in such monitoring purposefully and unjustly impact men who…

For school officials in West Des Moines, Iowa, it was a disturbing discovery: A teenager convicted of molesting a 13-year-old girl was enrolled in one of their junior high schools. It was a situation that gave local officials reason to pause. They knew all about conducting criminal background checks on new employees, and they had heard that some…

Although juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) account for a significant percentage of sex crimes committed in this country, researchers have only recently begun to study this population. One line of inquiry has been to investigate sub-types of offenders, in order to determine whether different types of offenders have different personality profiles and…

A draft report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education concludes that far too little is known about the prevalence of sexual misconduct by teachers or other school employees, but estimates that millions of children are being affected by it during their school-age years. The report, authored by Charol Shakeshaft, a university-based expert…

School psychologists are increasingly being confronted with a wide spectrum of psychological, psychosocial, familial, and home-school issues impacting child development. With one in six children raised in alcoholic families, with divorce impacting approximately 60% of families, and with such issues as teenage pregnancy, parental neglect, as well…

When one mother was asked how often she worried about her child's safety, she replied, "Every time she goes out the door." Many parents rely on school abuse prevention programs to teach kids how to stay safe. But what if these programs actually increase the risk of sex crimes that target kids? What happens if parental efforts to safeguard kids…

Sexual abuse of children in the United States is far more pervasive than most educators realize, with studies estimating up to 500,000 annual occurrences. This revised resource and planning guide for Wisconsin schools should help districts deal with sexual abuse on school premises and suspicion of this behavior off campus. While the guide cannot…

A child abuse assessment center was created in Dade County, Florida, and was funded by state and local government sources. Staff includes a project director, two clinical social workers, a follow-up case monitor, clerical support, and a psychologist. The center attempts to minimize trauma to the child victim of sexual and physical abuse by a…

This curriculum was designed to provide teachers of psychology in secondary schools with information concerning teaching about child maltreatment. The materials contain information about child abuse and neglect that they can incorporate into their teaching. The curriculum contains a procedural outline that includes five lesson plans targeting the…