The purpose of this study was to investigate the community readjustment of adolescent sex offenders released from a state residential group treatment facility. The results suggest: (1) Large percentages of youth entering correctional care have committed "undetected" sexual assaults, (2) The post-release behavior of sex offenders may not present the degree of personal risk assumed by the public, and (3) Serving sex offenders within an agency's main campus peer group treatment program may produce recidivism rates comparable with those reported among specialized treatment models. These findings are discussed in relation to the current demand for specialized sex offender programs and the need for correctional practitioners to develop strategies for this population of youthful offenders.
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