The successful onset of sex offending: determining the correlates of actual and official onset of sex offending

Purpose: The current study investigates the covariates of age of onset (actual and official) and cost avoidance of sex offending in first-time convicted sex offenders. Methods: The current study utilized a large sample (n=332) of federally sentenced first-time convicted adult male sex offenders. Actual onset was measured using self-report, victim statements, and police investigation notes. Official onset was measured using age at first conviction. Cost avoidance was measured as the time gap between actual and official onset. Results: First, while most offenders initiated their sexual criminal career in their early adult years (25–35years) they were typically not arrested until middle adulthood. Second, the covariates for official onset are in line with cost avoidance, but not actual onset. Third, offenders best able to avoid costs were early starters with a conventional background (i.e., employed, absence of a conviction for a non-sex crime), targeting prepubescent children within the family context. Conclusions: While early actual onset offenders were more likely to target stranger victims, early official starters exhibited an unconventional background, prior criminal record, more extensive sexual criminal career, and targeted strangers. Thus, official, but not actual onset revealed a profile in line with prior research.