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Individuals convicted of a sexual offense are subject to considerable levels of stigmatization that should lead to internalization of the criminal label according to some versions of labeling theory (Becker, 1963). Recent research has begun to explore how individuals resist and otherwise negotiate their identities in response to stigma, although this research has not yet been applied to the study of stigma associated with the "sex offender" label. Such research is significant because a noncriminal identity is important to facilitating and maintaining desistance from crime. Using in-depth interviews with 20 individuals previously convicted of a sexual offense in a southern U.S. state, this paper investigates the strategies individuals have used to resist stigma associated with the "sex offender" label and how these strategies may help to interrupt the process of self-stigmatization. Results suggest these individuals employ a variety of resistance strategies, which may serve as another tool for managing a "spoiled identity.", Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Juveniles referred for adjudicative competence evaluations make up a subset of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Among those referred for adjudicative competence evaluations, a significant number involve youth with current or past charges for sexual offenses. This study examines the profiles of youth with sexual offense charges who have been referred for competence evaluations at a state psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents. Differences between the characteristics of youth with and without sexual offenses were explored, and predictors of competence opinions were examined among the subset of youth with current or prior sexual charges (juveniles with sexual offenses, or JSOs). Findings indicated that youth with sexual offenses have several demographic, cognitive, clinical, and legal differences from youth without sexual offenses. Although youth with sexual offenses were less likely to be opined competent, presence of a sexual offense was not a predictor of competence opinions after controlling for other factors. Predictors of competence among JSOs were found to be similar to those among youth referred for competence evaluations in general. Primary diagnosis of an autism-related disorder was a unique predictor of being opined not competent among the JSO subgroup, but not the overall sample. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed., (© 2021 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)