NCJ Number
186954
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 45 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2001 Pages: 118-128
Date Published
February 2001
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the importance of the Internet in disseminating advertising matter intended to stimulate interest in pedophilia.
Abstract
The article presents the case of a suspect held in custody for using the Internet to stimulate interest in pedophilia. It considers the case in light of the current literature that regards pedophilia as a pathological entity. As such, the article proposes that pedophilia should be considered a mental disorder in legal terms. The article discusses the pedophilic-child binomial as well as the exploiter who is not affected by pedophilia but takes advantage of the Internet for profit. Because of the repugnance that pedophilia generates, social pressure to apprehend the offenders is intense and can result in witch hunts, both of the pedophile, who is a person with a psychological disorder, and of the exploiter, who may be indirectly responsible for such conduct. Social pressure sometimes looms over forensic medical judgment, and the article suggests the possibility of justice giving in to such pressure. The article does not propose turning the Internet into an object of censorship. However, it observes, if people breach the limits of society's accepted mores, bringing suffering upon minors and their families, the Internet will necessarily become the object of some type of censorship, and those who infringe on its accepted rules will be apprehended if discovered. References