The Internet opens a vast array of communication, entertainment, and educational resources for children; however, it also opens a gateway to home and school for offenders who wish to exploit children. A convenience sample of 225 cases published in the news media was examined. The cases were classified using law enforcement terminology to describe Internet offenders as traders, travelers, or combination trader-travelers. The media is seen as a critical source of information for the public to be aware of how the Internet is being used to commit sexual exploitation and sex crimes against children.
Armagh, D. S., Battaglia, N. L., & Lanning, K. V. (2000). Use of computers in the sexual exploitation of children (NCJ 170021). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
2.
Baker, A. (2001, August 14). Girl describes ordeal of rape and captivity. The New York Times. Retrieved August 14, 2001, from www.nytimes.com/2001/08/14
3.
Blankstein, A. (1999, February 12). Sex offender held in child porn case using library’s computers; Crime: Man arrested by undercover detectives allegedly collected, distributed images on the Internet. Los Angeles Times, p. 5.
4.
Branscomb, A. W. (1995). Anonymity, autonomy, and accountability: Challenges to the first amendment in cyberspace. Yale Law Journal, 104, 1639-1679.
5.
Burke, L. (2000, April 18). Huge kid porn ring busted. Retrieved August 21, 2001, from www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,35684,00.html
6.
De Young, M. (1989). The world according to NAMBLA: Accounting for deviance. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 16(1), 111-126.
7.
Durkin, K. F. (1997). Misuse of the Internet by pedophiles: Implications for law enforcement and probation practice. Federal Probation, 61(3), 14-18.
8.
Durkin, K. F., & Bryant, C. D. (1999). Propagandizing pederasty: A thematic analysis of the online exculpatory accounts of unrepentant pedophiles. Deviant Behavior, 20(2), 103-127.
9.
Internet child porn king jailed for four years. (2002, August 30). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved October 3, 2002, from www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/30/1030508121294.html
10.
Johnson, K. (2001, August 9). 100 arrested in Net child porn crackdown. USA Today, Retrieved June 7, 2002, from www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2001-08-08-child-porn.htm
11.
Lanning, K. V. (2001). Child molesters: A behavioral analysis [Monograph]. Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
12.
Lynch, E. (2002, March 18). Agencies band to nab pedophiles on the Web. Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved October 22, 2002, from www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/projects/crimebeat/po031802s1.shtml
13.
McAuliffe, W. (2001, March 12). FBI nets Scottish web paedophile. Retrieved October 3, 2002, from http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,s2084958,00.html
14.
McLaughlin, J. F. (2000). Cyber child sex offender typology. Retrieved August 8, 2000, from www.ci.keene.nh.us/police/Typology.html
15.
Office for Victims of Crime. (2001). OVC bulletin: Internet crimes against children (NCJ 184931). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
16.
Prentky, R. A., Knight, R. A., & Lee, A. F. S. (1997). Child sexual molestation: Research issues (NCJ 163390). Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice Research Report.
17.
Quayle, E., & Taylor, M. (2001). Child seduction and self-representation on the Internet. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 4(5), 597-608.
18.
Quayle, E., & Taylor, M. (2002). Child pornography and the Internet: Perpetuating a cycle of abuse. Deviant Behavior, 23(4), 331-362.
19.
Roberts, P. (2001, April 6). “Chatroom sex” controls urged. Retrieved October 22, 2002, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/wales/1262298.stm
20.
Sorenson, S. B., Manz, J. G. P., & Berk, R. A. (1998). News media coverage and the epidemiology of homicide. American Journal of Public Health, 88(10), 1510-1514.
21.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2000). Fact Finder. Retrieved September 25, 2002, from http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/epss/glossary_r.html
