Relations Between Peer Influence, Perceived Cost Versus Benefits, and Sexual Offending Among Adolescents Aware of Sex Offender Registration Risk

Authors

Cynthia J. Najdowski, University at Albany, State University of New YorkFollow
Hayley M. D. Cleary, Virginia Commonwealth University
Paige M. Oja, University at Albany, State University of New York

Author ORCID Identifier

Cynthia J. Najdowski: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3624-9188

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 4-20-2023

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2625

Abstract

A policy's general deterrent effect requires would-be offenders to be aware of the policy, yet many adolescents do not know they could be registered as sex offenders, and even adolescents who do know may still commit registerable sexual offenses. We tested whether peer influences shape the perceived costs/benefits of certain sexual offenses and, subsequently, registration policy's general deterrent potential in a sample of policy-aware adolescents. The more adolescents believed their peers approve of sexting of nude images, the more likely they were to have sexted. For forcible touching, having more positive peer expectations about sex and perceiving forcible touching as more prevalent among peers related to adolescents' likelihood of engaging in that behavior. Perceiving registration as a possible consequence was unrelated to sexual offending. Findings highlight the nuanced roles peers play in adolescent sexual decision-making and support emerging evidence that juvenile registration policy has limited general deterrent efficacy.

Comments

This is the Author's Accepted Manuscript. The Version of Record can be found here: Najdowski, C. J., Cleary, H. M. D., & Oja, P. M. (2023). Relations between peer influence, perceived costs versus benefits, and sexual offending among adolescents aware of sex offender registration risk. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 41(2-3), 109-123. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2625

Recommended Citation

Najdowski, Cynthia J.; Cleary, Hayley M. D.; and Oja, Paige M., "Relations Between Peer Influence, Perceived Cost Versus Benefits, and Sexual Offending Among Adolescents Aware of Sex Offender Registration Risk" (2023). Psychology Faculty Scholarship. 40.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/psychology_fac_scholar/40