A criminological analysis : using real-time monitoring to gather data on online predators

The Internet presents a constantly evolving frontier for criminology and policing, especially in relation to online predators – paedophiles operating within the Internet for safer access to children, child pornography and networking opportunities with other online predators. The goals of this qualitative study are to undertake behavioural research – identify personality types and archetypes of online predators and compare and contrast them with behavioural profiles and other psychological research on offline paedophiles and sex offenders. It is also an endeavour to gather intelligence on the technological utilisation of online predators and conduct observational research on the social structures of online predator communities. These goals were achieved through the covert monitoring and logging of public activity within four Internet Relay Chat(rooms) (IRC) themed around child sexual abuse and which were located on the Undernet network. Five days of monitoring was conducted on these four chatrooms between Wednesday 1 to Sunday 5 April 2009; this raw data was collated and analysed. The analysis identified four personality types – the gentleman predator, the sadist, the businessman and the pretender – and eight archetypes consisting of the groomers, dealers, negotiators, roleplayers, networkers, chat requestors, posters and travellers. The characteristics and traits of these personality types and archetypes, which were extracted from the literature dealing with offline paedophiles and sex offenders, are detailed and contrasted against the online sexual predators identified within the chatrooms, revealing many similarities and interesting differences particularly with the businessman and pretender personality types. These personality types and archetypes were illustrated by selecting users who displayed the appropriate characteristics and tracking them through the four chatrooms, revealing intelligence data on the use of proxies servers – especially via the Tor software – and other security strategies such as Undernet’s host masking service. Name and age changes, which is used as a potential sexual grooming tactic was also revealed through the use of Analyst’s Notebook software and information on ISP information revealed the likelihood that many online predators were not using any safety mechanism and relying on the anonymity of the Internet. The activities of these online predators were analysed, especially in regards to child sexual grooming and the ‘posting’ of child pornography, which revealed a few of the methods in which online predators utilised new Internet technologies to sexually groom and abuse children – using technologies such as instant messengers, webcams and microphones – as well as store and disseminate illegal materials on image sharing websites and peer-to-peer software such as Gigatribe. Analysis of the social structures of the chatrooms was also carried out and the community functions and characteristics of each chatroom explored. The findings of this research have indicated several opportunities for further research. As a result of this research, recommendations are given on policy, prevention and response strategies with regards to online predators.

Using real-time authentic online learning scenarios to teach criminal intelligence

Criminal intelligence is an area of expertise highly sought-after internationally and within a variety of justice-related professions; however, producing university graduates with the requisite professional knowledge, as well as analytical, organisational and technical skills presents a pedagogical and technical challenge to university educators. The situation becomes even more challenging when students are undertaking their studies by distance education. This best practice session showcases the design of an online undergraduate unit for final year justice students which uses an evolving real-time criminal scenario as the focus of authentic learning activities in order to prepare students for graduate roles within the criminal intelligence and justice professions. Within the unit, students take on the role of criminal intelligence analysts, applying relevant theories, models and strategies to solve a complex but realistic crime and complete briefings and documentation to industry standards as their major summative assessment task. The session will demonstrate how the design of the online unit corresponds to authentic learning principles, and will specifically map the elements of the unit design to Herrington & Oliver’s instructional design framework for authentic learning (2000; Herrington & Herrington 2006). The session will show how a range of technologies was used to create a rich learning experience for students that could be easily maintained over multiple unit iterations without specialist technical support. The session will also discuss the unique pedagogical affordances and challenges implicated in the location of the unit within an online learning environment, and will reflect on some of the lessons learned from the development which may be relevant to other authentic online learning contexts.

Using real-time authentic online learning scenarios to teach criminal intelligence : presentation

Criminal intelligence is an area of expertise highly sought-after internationally and within a variety of justice-related professions; however, producing university graduates with the requisite professional knowledge, as well as analytical, organisational and technical skills presents a pedagogical and technical challenge to university educators. The situation becomes even more challenging when students are undertaking their studies by distance education. This best practice session showcases the design of an online undergraduate unit for final year justice students which uses an evolving real-time criminal scenario as the focus of authentic learning activities in order to prepare students for graduate roles within the criminal intelligence and justice professions. Within the unit, students take on the role of criminal intelligence analysts, applying relevant theories, models and strategies to solve a complex but realistic crime and complete briefings and documentation to industry standards as their major summative assessment task. The session will demonstrate how the design of the online unit corresponds to authentic learning principles, and will specifically map the elements of the unit design to Herrington & Oliver’s instructional design framework for authentic learning (2000; Herrington & Herrington 2006). The session will show how a range of technologies was used to create a rich learning experience for students that could be easily maintained over multiple unit iterations without specialist technical support. The session will also discuss the unique pedagogical affordances and challenges implicated in the location of the unit within an online learning environment, and will reflect on some of the lessons learned from the development which may be relevant to other authentic online learning contexts.

Online Anonymity and the Kantian Publicity Principle: Can the Internet Solve the Paradox of Tyranny?

Immanuel Kant’s publicity maxim states that other-regarding actions are wrong if their maxim is not compatible with their being made public. This has the effect of forbidding dissent or rebellion against tyranny, since rebels cannot make their intentions and plans public. However, new internet technologies offer public speech from behind the “shield” of anonymity, allowing dissent to be public but preventing reprisals from tyrants. This thesis examines not only this possibility, but the value of internet-based discursive spaces for politics, their viability as a mode for political communication, and their implications for Classical and Enlightenment approaches to politics and intellectual virtue. Anonymous internet communications favour logos-based reasoning and discourse, which, in the liberal-democratic tradition, is preferable to phronesis and its attendant elitism and chauvinism. These technologies can open new vistas for liberal-democratic politics.

Online community building in classrooms and schools : using the internet to extend teachers??? face-to-face community practices

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

The Internet and child sexual offending : a criminological review

This paper outlines the current literature on what is known about the processes by which individuals utilize the Internet for child sexual abuse. First, three ways in which the Internet is utilized are outlined: (1) by dissemination of sexually abusive images of children for personal and/or commercial reasons; (2) by communication with other individuals with a sexual interest in children: and (3) by maintaining and developing online pedophilic networks. Second, content and availability of abusive images are described, and the difficulties faced by criminal justice agencies in both the definition of abusive images and their prohibition is discussed. Third, the potential for offenders to ‘cross-over’ from online offenses to contact sexual victimization of children is examined and placed within a context of various Internet offender typologies that have been developed. Finally, implications of this body of research for law and public policy are considered.

'Grooming' and the Sexual Abuse of Children:Institutional, Internet and Familial Dimensions

‘Grooming’ and the Sexual Abuse of Children: Institutional, Internet and Familial Dimensions critically examines the official and popular discourses on grooming, predominantly framed within the context of on-line sexual exploitation and abuse committed by strangers, and institutional child abuse committed by those in positions of trust.

Set against the broader theoretical framework of risk, security and governance, this book argues that due to the difficulties of drawing clear boundaries between innocuous and harmful motivations towards children, pre-emptive risk-based criminal law and policy are inherently limited in preventing, targeting and criminalising ‘grooming’ behaviour prior to the manifestation of actual harm. Through examination of grooming against the complexities of the onset of sexual offending against children and its actual role in this process, the author broadens existing discourses by providing a fuller, more nuanced conceptualisation of grooming, including its role in intra-familial and extra-familial contexts. There is also timely discussion of new and emerging forms of grooming, such as ‘street’ or ‘localised’ grooming, as typified by recent cases in Rochdale and Oldham, and ‘peer-to-peer’ grooming.

The first inter-disciplinary, thematic, and empirical investigation of grooming in a multi-jurisdictional context, ‘Grooming’ and the Sexual Abuse of Children draws on extensive empirical research in the form of over fifty interviews with professionals, working in the fields of sex offender risk assessment, management or treatment, as well as child protection or victim support in the four jurisdictions of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Impeccably presented and meticulously considered, this book will be of interest to criminologists and those working and studying in the field of policing and criminal justice studies, as well as policy makers and practitioners in the areas of child protection and sex offender management.

Identification and assessment of child abuse

Concerns have been raised withing the mental health profession as to what procedures are appropriate and effective in identifying and assessing child abuse. The aim of this series of papers was to identify and discuss some of the main issues and difficulties that confront mental health professionals when both identifying and assessing different forms of child abuse.

Child maltreatment issues.

Each issue in 2 v.: Vol. 1, Physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect; v. 2, Sexual abuse.

Exploring Online Sexually Explicit Material: What is the Relationship to Sexual Coercion?

With the popularity of the Internet, it is easy to access sexually explicit material. Past research has demonstrated that exposure to sexually explicit material in traditional formats (i.e. magazines and videos) may have an influence on male attitudes and behaviors towards females, but these effects appear to be minimal and dissipate over the long term. Though the body of literature examining Internet sexually explicit material is smaller, researchers have found little to no effects on attitudes or aggressive behaviors immediately after exposure. However, research regarding exposure to online sexually explicit material has not included forensically relevant variables. Previous research has suggested that undergraduate males who report engaging in sexually coercive or aggressive behaviors differ in terms of personality, attitudinal, and behavioral variables from individuals who do not report this type of behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the same personality and attitudinal variables that have been studied in previous research, but to extend this research by including behavioral variables related to the viewing of online sexually explicit material. Male undergraduate students were provided with a link to take an online survey examining personality (empathy, sensation-seeking, and psychopathy), attitudinal (rape myth belief, acceptance of interpersonal violence, and hostility towards women) and behavioral (online sexual compulsivity and online behaviors with regard to sexual material) variables. The relationship between these variables and sexually coercive behavior was examined. Results indicate there is a significant relationship between some scales related to empathy and viewing sexually explicit or degrading material. Further results indicated that individuals who identified as having engaged in sexually aggressive behavior endorsed more items related to online sexually compulsive behaviors. Exploratory analyses revealed that the amount, as opposed to the type, of sexually explicit material viewed appears to be more related to adverse outcomes.

Internet use, exposure to Internet pornography, and sexual behavior among middle school youth

The purpose of this study is to examine associations between adolescents’ Internet use, exposure to pornography online, and sexual behavior. This cross-sectional study examines data collected from an HIV, sexually transmitted infection, and pregnancy prevention program being evaluated in inner-city middle schools. Chi-squares were used to examine differences in Internet use and exposure to Internet pornography by gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual behavior. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine associations between Internet use, exposure to Internet pornography, and sexual behavior. Ninety-four percent of students have used the Internet. Sixty-two percent of students had accidentally seen pornography on the Internet and 35% had purposefully viewed pornography online. Students who experienced sexual solicitation and who purposefully viewed pornography online were more likely to report lifetime and current sexual behavior. Additional research is needed to understand the impact of Internet use and exposure to Internet pornography on adolescents’ sexual behavior.^

Analyse quantitative de la carrière criminelle des internautes effectuant du leurre d’enfants

Objectifs: L’objectif principal de ce mémoire consiste à comprendre les caractéristiques des carrières criminelles d’individus connus de la police pour avoir perpétré une infraction de leurre d’enfants sur Internet. Aussi, par une analyse typologique à l’aide des antécédents criminels, il sera possible d’établir une typologie d’individus ayant leurré des enfants sur Internet. Également, il sera question de vérifier s’il y a un lien entre les caractéristiques des antécédents criminels de ces individus sur la perpétration de l’agression sexuelle hors ligne. Méthodologie: Provenant de données officielles de la communauté policière du Québec, l’échantillon comprend les parcours de criminels ayant perpétré une infraction de leurre d’enfants sur Internet. Des analyses descriptives en lien avec les différents paramètres de la carrière criminelle seront effectuées. Ensuite, des tests de moyenne et une analyse de régression Cox permettront de vérifier la présence ou non d’un lien statistique entre les caractéristiques des antécédents criminels des individus connus de la police pour leurre d’enfants sur Internet et le passage à l’acte physique. Résultats: Les analyses ont montré que la majorité des sujets n’avaient aucun antécédent judiciaire. Pour la plupart, le leurre d’enfants est le crime le plus grave perpétré au cours de leur carrière criminelle. Trois catégories d’individus ont été décelées : les amateurs, les spécialistes et les généralistes. Ce sont les individus polymorphes ayant une carrière criminelle plus grave et plus longue qui sont portés à agresser sexuellement avant le leurre. Cependant, ce sont des individus spécialisés ayant une importante proportion de délits sexuels dans leurs antécédents criminels qui ont plus de chance d’agresser sexuellement suite à l’exploitation sexuelle sur Internet.

Analyse quantitative de la carrière criminelle des internautes effectuant du leurre d’enfants

Objectifs: L’objectif principal de ce mémoire consiste à comprendre les caractéristiques des carrières criminelles d’individus connus de la police pour avoir perpétré une infraction de leurre d’enfants sur Internet. Aussi, par une analyse typologique à l’aide des antécédents criminels, il sera possible d’établir une typologie d’individus ayant leurré des enfants sur Internet. Également, il sera question de vérifier s’il y a un lien entre les caractéristiques des antécédents criminels de ces individus sur la perpétration de l’agression sexuelle hors ligne. Méthodologie: Provenant de données officielles de la communauté policière du Québec, l’échantillon comprend les parcours de criminels ayant perpétré une infraction de leurre d’enfants sur Internet. Des analyses descriptives en lien avec les différents paramètres de la carrière criminelle seront effectuées. Ensuite, des tests de moyenne et une analyse de régression Cox permettront de vérifier la présence ou non d’un lien statistique entre les caractéristiques des antécédents criminels des individus connus de la police pour leurre d’enfants sur Internet et le passage à l’acte physique. Résultats: Les analyses ont montré que la majorité des sujets n’avaient aucun antécédent judiciaire. Pour la plupart, le leurre d’enfants est le crime le plus grave perpétré au cours de leur carrière criminelle. Trois catégories d’individus ont été décelées : les amateurs, les spécialistes et les généralistes. Ce sont les individus polymorphes ayant une carrière criminelle plus grave et plus longue qui sont portés à agresser sexuellement avant le leurre. Cependant, ce sont des individus spécialisés ayant une importante proportion de délits sexuels dans leurs antécédents criminels qui ont plus de chance d’agresser sexuellement suite à l’exploitation sexuelle sur Internet.