Offender Facts

Sex Offender Facts

• In 2003, there were approximately 455,000 registered sex offenders in United States.
• According to a 1997 Bureau of Justice Statistics Report, about 234,000 convicted sex offenders are under the care, custody, or control of corrections agencies on an average day. Approximately 60% are under criminal justice supervision in the community.
• Most sex offenders (80 to 95%) assault people they know.
• At least half of convicted child molesters report that they also have sexually assaulted an adult.
• Over 80% of convicted adult rapists report that they have molested children.
• Approximately one-third of sex offenders report assaulting both males and females. Research shows that most convicted sex offenders have committed many, many assaults before they are caught.
• Most sex offenders report that they have committed multiple types of sexual assault (sexual assault crimes include exhibitionism, voyeurism, oral sex, vaginal penetration, attempted penetration, fondling, and incest).
• Over two-thirds of offenders who reported committing incest also said they assaulted victims outside the family.
• Some studies of victims have shown less than 30% of sex crimes are reported to law enforcement.
• Young victims who know or are related to the perpetrator are least likely to report the crime to authorities