The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending
| dc.contributor.author | Endrass, J., Urbaniok, F., Hammermeister, L. C., Benz, C., Elbert, T., Laubacher, A., & Rossegger, A. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-08-26T18:39:51Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-08-26T18:39:51Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2009 | |
| dc.description.abstract | There is an ongoing debate on whether consumers of child pornography pose a risk for hands-on sex offenses. Up until now, there have been very few studies which have analyzed the association between the consumption of child pornography and the subsequent perpetration of hands-on sex offenses. The aim of this study was to examine the recidivism rates for hands-on and hands-off sex offenses in a sample of child pornography users using a 6 year follow-up design. Methods The current study population consisted of 231 men, who were subsequently charged with consumption of illegal pornographic material after being detected by a special operation against Internet child pornography, conducted by the Swiss police in 2002. Criminal history, as well as recidivism, was assessed using the criminal records from 2008. Results 4.8% (n = 11) of the study sample had a prior conviction for a sexual and/or violent offense, 1% (n = 2) for a hands-on sex offense, involving child sexual abuse, 3.3% (n = 8) for a hands-off sex offense and one for a nonsexual violent offense. When applying a broad definition of recidivism, which included ongoing investigations, charges and convictions, 3% (n = 7) of the study sample recidivated with a violent and/or sex offense, 3.9% (n = 9) with a hands-off sex offense and 0.8% (n = 2) with a hands-on sex offense. Conclusion Consuming child pornography alone is not a risk factor for committing hands-on sex offenses – at least not for those subjects who had never committed a hands-on sex offense. The majority of the investigated consumers had no previous convictions for hands-on sex offenses. For those offenders, the prognosis for hands-on sex offenses, as well as for recidivism with child pornography, is favorable. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Endrass, J., Urbaniok, F., Hammermeister, L. C., Benz, C., Elbert, T., Laubacher, A., & Rossegger, A. (2009). The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending. BmC Psychiatry, 9(1), 43. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/9/43 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11212/1687 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | BMC Psychiatry | en_US |
| dc.subject | child pornography | en_US |
| dc.subject | Internet | en_US |
| dc.subject | violence | en_US |
| dc.subject | offending | en_US |
| dc.subject.classification | International Resources | |
| dc.subject.classification | Switzerland | |
| dc.title | The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |