The more than 400,000 sexual offenders in our Nation pose a challenge for policymakers, especially because many of the perpetrators and victims of sexual assault in the United States are under the age of 18 years. More than one-third of all sexual assaults involve a child victim under the age of 12 years and approximately 40 percent of sexual assault offenders who victimize children under the age of 6 years are themselves juveniles under the age of 18 years. The NCMEC urges States to adopt a triage approach to the treatment and supervision of sex offenders. The triage concept involves developing a range of criminal justice responses to sex offenders that takes into account the severity of the crime, provides treatment to those amenable to treatment, and prioritizes post-release supervision and follow-up. Such a response hinges on the effective evaluation of sex offenders, particularly juveniles. Eight recommendations are provided for State-level policymakers on the development of a comprehensive criminal justice response to sex offenders that utilizes this triage strategy. The eight recommendations underscore the importance of sex offender evaluations, a sentencing structure allowing for a range of supervision and confinement levels, and the provision of treatment programs and community supervision. The key to the successful development and implementation of State-level responses to sex offenders hinges on the ability of States to coordinate an interagency approach to the treatment and supervision of offenders. Endnotes