NCJ Number
210638
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2005 Pages: 260-271
Date Published
August 2005
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined prosecution issues and outcomes in nonforcible Internet-related sex crimes involving adolescent victims and nonfamilial adult defendants.
Abstract
Investigators and prosecutors face special challenges in prosecuting adults who have engaged in seemingly nonforcible sexual relations with adolescents under the age of consent. The current study drew on data from the National Juvenile Online Victimization study, a national sample of arrest cases involving Internet-related sex crimes against minors, in order to explore the challenges and outcomes of prosecuting nonforcible Internet-related sex crimes involving adolescent victims and nonfamilial adult defendants. The current analysis focused on 77 cases involving a victim between the ages of 12 and 17 years and a defendant aged 18 years or older. Participants answered questions about the characteristics of victims, offenders, and the crimes, as well as about case resolutions, sentencing, and prosecutorial issues arising during prosecution. Results of statistical analyses revealed that 91 percent of defendants were convicted; 77 percent were convicted through a guilty plea. The conditions that appear related to prosecution failure in these cases include victim dishonesty, the involvement of drugs or alcohol, and a lack of confession from the defendant. Future research should focus on the case filtering process in order to understand which cases are referred for prosecution and which are not. Prevention programs should focus on educating adolescents about the dangers of older adult men who express sexual interest in them. Tables, figure, references