Assisting Economically Marginalized and Vulnerable Youth and Minimizing Opportunities for Exploitation by Adult Criminal Groups

This paper examines the exploitation of marginalized children and youth at risk of violent victimization and sexual exploitation by networks of adult criminals. Using the UK as an example, we consider various public inquiries that identified serious failings in UK criminal justice, social care, publ...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Arnull, Elaine (Author)
Contributors: Goss, Melissa ; Heimer, Karen
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Criminal justice and behavior
Year: 2025, Volume: 52, Issue: 3, Pages: 349-363
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Partnerships
sexual exploitation of children
economic exploitation of children
sexual exploitation of youth
economic exploitation of youth
Description
Summary:This paper examines the exploitation of marginalized children and youth at risk of violent victimization and sexual exploitation by networks of adult criminals. Using the UK as an example, we consider various public inquiries that identified serious failings in UK criminal justice, social care, public health, and educational systems. These reports said that children and youth had been exploited by networks of adult criminals over time. They also described a sense of defeatism and lack of agency among the criminal justice and social service agencies to address the social, criminal, and public health problems associated with this form of child and youth exploitation. We discuss research that illuminates this issue and suggest some avenues for building trust between victims/survivors, community members, criminal justice agencies, and social services.
ISSN:1552-3594
DOI:10.1177/00938548241310436