NCJ Number
247485
Date Published
March 2014
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime presents a summary of the main findings of its study of the identification, description, and evaluation of the effects of new information technologies on the abuse and exploitation of children, and it assesses the needs of United Nations member states for training in the investigation of such offenses.
Abstract
The study concludes that the keys to fighting technology-facilitated child abuse and exploitation are awareness-raising among the public and government agencies, proactive investigation, and the training of practitioners on gathering, preserving, and presenting electronic evidence. Sections of the report address the following topics: identifying and describing the problem, evaluating the problem, victim risk factors and offender profiles, and combating the problem. Topics addressed in evaluating the problem are enhanced access to victims and abuse material, increased profits for criminal enterprises, the reduced risk of detection, increased levels of harm for victims, the provision of social affirmation for offenders, new forms of child abuse and exploitation, and information and communication technologies as a tool for detection. In the assessment of the training needs of United Nations member states regarding these offenses, the scope of possible training needs includes the identification of these crimes; the collection of evidence; victim assistance, protection, and cooperation; conducting efficient joint operations; international cooperation; and government structures for combating these forms of crime. Eight recommendations are presented for consideration by the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.