Summary
This study was designed to help law enforcement combat technology-facilitated child exploitation crimes. It gathered detailed national data on a number of policy and practice relevant topics including: 1) new developments and numerical trends in cases coming to law enforcement attention; 2) what investigative strategies were associated with more favorable outcomes; 3) what challenges and dilemmas confronted prosecutors; 4) what indicators and investigative procedures were more likely to identify child pornography offenders who had also committed crimes against or endangered children in their environments; and 5) how investigators managed and responded to cases of sexual images produced and disseminated by youth. The data were gathered using a proven, successful methodology, a 2-stage survey of a national sample of law enforcement agencies that included interviews with investigators and prosecutors involved in a representative sample of more than 1000 technology-facilitated crimes. N-JOV3 was funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention sourced from Recovery Act funds.
Background
The domain of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation (CSE) crimes has been characterized by 2 features: rapid growth and changing dynamics. In terms of growth, in 2000 there were an estimated 2,577 arrests for technology-facilitated CSE crimes of all types. By 2006, the number of arrests had almost tripled to 7,010. Arrests of online predators (i.e., sex offenders who used the Internet or related technologies to meet victims) increased more than threefold between 2000 and 2006. In addition to the rapid growth in numbers of cases, new offender tactics had emerged. An example was the increasing use of video. While webcams were rare in 2000, among offenders arrested in 2006 for online predation against actual youth, 27% used video communications to interact with victims. There was an urgent need for research to help the criminal justice system deal with such a rapid growth and a swiftly changing environment, whose dynamics were not always conspicuous or easy to track. Most of the available research knowledge about technology-facilitated CSE crimes came from the 1st and 2nd National Juvenile Online Victimization studies (N-JOV1 and N-JOV2), conducted by the CCRC. These studies included information about trends in the incidence of arrests for technology-facilitated CSE between 2000 and 2006 and described the dynamics of crimes and characteristics of offenders and victims. These two studies provided detailed descriptions of crimes ending in arrest that involved online predation, technology-facilitated CSE by family members and acquaintances of victims, undercover “sting” operations, child pornography (CP) production, and CP possession and distribution. N-JOV2 tracked trends in all of these types of cases. It also included a component focusing on the role of technology in commercial sexual exploitation of children, and it collected detailed data about the role of social networking sites in technology-facilitated CSE. In addition, N-JOV1 assessed prosecutorial responses to court rulings on evidentiary issues in CP possession cases and examined prosecutorial issues and outcomes in cases of non-forcible Internet-related sex crimes with adolescent victims. N-JOV3 was designed to build on this strong research base.
Goals and Objectives
- Assessed the scope and characteristics of trends in technology-facilitated CSE crimes.
- Examined perpetrator characteristics to illuminate links between possession or trafficking of CP and actual abuse of a child.
- Gathered and analyzed data about how different technologies were used in CSE crimes and about investigative strategies and techniques that addressed these issues.
- Examined the characteristics of and strategies for handling cases in which juveniles manufactured or distributed sexually explicit images of themselves or peers.
- Collected data about and evaluate dprosecution strategies in technology-facilitated CSE crimes.
Methodology
N-JOV3 followed the same research protocol as the N-JOV1 and N-JOV2 studies. Researchers sent mail surveys to the same national sample of law enforcement agencies that participated in N-JOV1 and N-JOV2. The sample included all of the ICAC Task Forces, units of federal agencies created to deal with Internet crimes, a random sample of police agencies that have sent staff to trainings in Internet crimes, and a random sample of other agencies. All agencies were recruited during N-JOV1. The mail survey asked for information about arrests in Internet cases in 2009. Telephone interviewers followed-up on a sample of reported cases, spoke with investigators and prosecutors and gathered detailed information about the characteristics of cases and the circumstances surrounding them. A similar interview used in N-JOV1 and N-JOV2 was used in N-JOV3, with changes reflecting technological advances and new venues for such online crimes (e.g., text messaging, social networking sites).
What Was New in N-JOV3?
In N-JOV3 we gathered information from prosecutors who handled technology-facilitated CSE crimes ending in arrest in 2009 (e.g., online predation, CP possession, solicitations to undercover investigators posing online as minors). The cases and prosecutors who handled them were identified in the law enforcement cases from the telephone interviews. Data from prosecutors included information that surfaced during the prosecutorial phase and evaluated outcomes such as time to case resolution, strength of evidence from electronic sources, nature of plea bargains, factors contributing to plea bargain decisions (e.g., cooperation of victims, psychological assessments of offenders) and details of sentencing. Also, we asked prosecutors about their opinions and experiences regarding a variety of issues, such as how technology-facilitated CSE cases were prioritized, assessing CP offenders, ideas for improving victim and witness cooperation and responding to common defense strategies.
“Sexting”
In N-JOV3 we also collected data from both law enforcement and prosecutors about cases of “youth generated sexual images,” that is, images of juveniles themselves or peers that meet criminal definitions of CP and are created, distributed or possessed by youth. Although sometimes referred to in the media as “sexting”, this category includes a wide range of dynamics, some more malicious than others. Because many of these cases probably do not end in arrest, we examined cases reported to or investigated by agencies. The key factors examined included: 1) the variety, types and circumstances of such production, with the goal of identifying key distinctions and a practice relevant typology, 2) the investigative and prosecutorial challenges and dilemmas posed by such cases, and 3) an assessment of the practices and responses when such cases were encountered in the criminal justice system.
Summary
These were two related projects. The first, the Second National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (N-JOV2) was funded by the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). It looked at the growth and change of Internet sex crimes against children in the criminal justice system since our first study (N-JOV1) which was conducted in 2001. The second, Internet-facilitated Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (IF-CSEC) was also funded by OJJDP and looked at the prevalence and characteristics of commercial sex crimes against children in the criminal justice system, including purchasing child pornography online and advertising a child for sex online.
Background
The first National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (N-JOV1) was the only national research to systematically collect data about the number and characteristics of Internet sex crimes against minors. It provided detailed information about the types of Internet sex crimes, as well as numbers of arrests, characteristics of offenders and victims, dynamics of the crimes, and criminal justice system responses. The result was a wealth of information about the nature of Internet sex crimes, including that:
- The great majority of child pornography possessors were arrested for having highly explicit images of young children.
- Offenders who used the Internet to commit offenses against family members and acquaintances were as numerous as those who used the Internet to meet victims.
- Most victims of online meeting crimes were adolescents.
- Most offenders who used the Internet to meet victims manipulated adolescents into sexual relationships rather than using deception.
- Proactive undercover investigations represented a significant number of arrests and had high conviction rates.
- The quality of the evidence in Internet sex crimes led to high success rates for prosecutors.
- Two-thirds of offenders who committed Internet crimes possessed child pornography.
- Most cases involved multiple law enforcement agencies and many involved multiple jurisdictions.
However, since N-JOV1 there had been substantial changes in computer and Internet technology, growth in the population of Internet users and increases in the number of law enforcement agencies with expertise in Internet sex crimes. These factors could have impacted the characteristics of the offenders and victims, the dynamics of the crimes, and the criminal justice response. Further, the Internet may have changed the dynamics of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth, including child prostitution, trafficking, sex tourism, child pornography and other CSEC crimes. To date, the prevalence and characteristics of such crimes was unknown.
The goals of the N-JOV2 project were to:
- Show the changes in numbers of arrests, nationwide, for Internet sex crimes against minors approximately 5 years after N-JOV1 (July 2000 - June 2001 compared to January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2006).
- Describe changes in the characteristics of victims and perpetrators and the dynamics of cases in the past 5 years.
- Document changes in the role of child pornography, including changes in the number of arrests that involve child pornography, the proportion of dual offenders who both possess child pornography and sexually abuse, and the nature and format of images in the possession of offenders.
- Describe emerging trends in Internet sex crimes.
- Make policy recommendations that will increase reporting, assist in the allocation of resources, improve prevention measures and victim services, and respond to investigatory and prosecutorial needs.
- Develop typologies of Internet Facilitated - Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (IF-CSEC) based on the dynamics of crimes, uses of technology, characteristics of offenders and victims, patterns of financial exchange, and degree of economic motivation.
- Gather baseline data about numbers of arrests for IF-CSEC crimes in a national sample of law enforcement agencies for determining future growth and trends in IF-CSEC.
- Make recommendations so that improved policies and practices to protect youth and prevent commercial sexual exploitation can be developed and implemented.
Methodology
N-JOV2 followed the same research protocol as the N-JOV1 Study. Researchers sent mail surveys to the same national sample of law enforcement agencies that participated in N-JOV1. The sample included all of the ICAC Task Forces, units of federal agencies created to deal with Internet crimes, a random sample of police agencies that have sent staff to trainings in Internet crimes and a random sample of other agencies. The mail survey asked for information about arrests in Internet cases between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006. Telephone interviewers then followed-up on a sample of the reported cases, speaking with investigators and gathering detailed information about the characteristics of cases and the circumstances surrounding them. The same interview used in N-JOV1 was used in N-JOV2, with minor changes, including the additions of questions about new technologies and questions specific to Internet-facilitated commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Summary
These were two related projects. The first, the Second National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (N-JOV2) was funded by the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). It looked at the growth and change of Internet sex crimes against children in the criminal justice system since our first study (N-JOV1) which was conducted in 2001. The second, Internet-facilitated Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (IF-CSEC) was also funded by OJJDP and looked at the prevalence and characteristics of commercial sex crimes against children in the criminal justice system, including purchasing child pornography online and advertising a child for sex online.
Background
The first National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (N-JOV1) was the only national research to systematically collect data about the number and characteristics of Internet sex crimes against minors. It provided detailed information about the types of Internet sex crimes, as well as numbers of arrests, characteristics of offenders and victims, dynamics of the crimes, and criminal justice system responses. The result was a wealth of information about the nature of Internet sex crimes, including that:
- The great majority of child pornography possessors were arrested for having highly explicit images of young children.
- Offenders who used the Internet to commit offenses against family members and acquaintances were as numerous as those who used the Internet to meet victims.
- Most victims of online meeting crimes were adolescents.
- Most offenders who used the Internet to meet victims manipulated adolescents into sexual relationships rather than using deception.
- Proactive undercover investigations represented a significant number of arrests and had high conviction rates.
- The quality of the evidence in Internet sex crimes led to high success rates for prosecutors.
- Two-thirds of offenders who committed Internet crimes possessed child pornography.
- Most cases involved multiple law enforcement agencies and many involved multiple jurisdictions.
However, since N-JOV1 there had been substantial changes in computer and Internet technology, growth in the population of Internet users and increases in the number of law enforcement agencies with expertise in Internet sex crimes. These factors could have impacted the characteristics of the offenders and victims, the dynamics of the crimes, and the criminal justice response. Further, the Internet may have changed the dynamics of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth, including child prostitution, trafficking, sex tourism, child pornography and other CSEC crimes. To date, the prevalence and characteristics of such crimes was unknown.
The goals of the N-JOV2 project were to:
- Show the changes in numbers of arrests, nationwide, for Internet sex crimes against minors approximately 5 years after N-JOV1 (July 2000 - June 2001 compared to January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2006).
- Describe changes in the characteristics of victims and perpetrators and the dynamics of cases in the past 5 years.
- Document changes in the role of child pornography, including changes in the number of arrests that involve child pornography, the proportion of dual offenders who both possess child pornography and sexually abuse, and the nature and format of images in the possession of offenders.
- Describe emerging trends in Internet sex crimes.
- Make policy recommendations that will increase reporting, assist in the allocation of resources, improve prevention measures and victim services, and respond to investigatory and prosecutorial needs.
- Develop typologies of Internet Facilitated - Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (IF-CSEC) based on the dynamics of crimes, uses of technology, characteristics of offenders and victims, patterns of financial exchange, and degree of economic motivation.
- Gather baseline data about numbers of arrests for IF-CSEC crimes in a national sample of law enforcement agencies for determining future growth and trends in IF-CSEC.
- Make recommendations so that improved policies and practices to protect youth and prevent commercial sexual exploitation can be developed and implemented.
Methodology
N-JOV2 followed the same research protocol as the N-JOV1 Study. Researchers sent mail surveys to the same national sample of law enforcement agencies that participated in N-JOV1. The sample included all of the ICAC Task Forces, units of federal agencies created to deal with Internet crimes, a random sample of police agencies that have sent staff to trainings in Internet crimes and a random sample of other agencies. The mail survey asked for information about arrests in Internet cases between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006. Telephone interviewers then followed-up on a sample of the reported cases, speaking with investigators and gathering detailed information about the characteristics of cases and the circumstances surrounding them. The same interview used in N-JOV1 was used in N-JOV2, with minor changes, including the additions of questions about new technologies and questions specific to Internet-facilitated commercial sexual exploitation of children.
