Internet Sexual Solicitation of Children: a Proposed Typology of Offenders Based on Their Chats, E-mails, and Social Network Posts

• NCJ Number: 251840
• Journal: Journal of Sexual Aggression Volume: 23 Dated: 2017 Pages: 77-89
• Author(s): Dana DeHart; Gregg Dwyer; Michael C. Seto; Robert Moran; Elizabeth Letourneau; Donna Schwarz-Watts
• Date Published: 2017
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2010-MC-CX-4003; 2011-MC-CX-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

As part of a broader effort on Internet crimes against children (ICAC), this study examined offender chat logs, email threads, and social network posts from state and local task forces on ICAC for a sample of 200 offenders in communications with undercover officers.

Abstract

Although researchers have examined sexual solicitation of minors online, there is limited research on the content and patterns of victim-offender chats. These chats have potential use in investigations for triaging and prioritizing cases, enhancing understanding of offenders, developing treatments, and crafting education and policy to prevent sexual solicitation of minors online. The current study used mixed-methods analyses to identify key elements in these cases and propose a typology of online solicitation offenders: cybersex-only offenders, schedulers, cybersex/schedulers, and buyers. These findings provide support and expansion of existing research on offender types using a larger and more geographically diverse sample. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed. (Publisher abstract modified)