SYNDROME OF THE ADOLESCENT CHILD MOLESTER
MERVYN SHOOR M.D.1,
MARY HELEN SPEED M.A.1, , and
CLAUDIA BARTELT M.A.1
1 Guidance Clinic, Santa Clara County Juvenile Probation Department, San Jose, Calif.
We have studied psychiatrically 80 cases of adolescent boys who have molested children under the age of ten, and have described the syndrome and the profile of these pedophiles.
We have distinguished between the aggressive and the passive child molester. The aggressive child molester constitutes a danger to the community and is better managed in correctional settings. The passive child molester can reasonably be handled in the community with psychiatric treatment and is a proper candidate for such disposition.
Adequate psychiatric consultation is deemed essential, however, before diagnosis and recommendations for disposition are made. Each case warrants a careful psychiatric scrutiny.
