NCJ Number
219535
Journal
Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Dated: 2007 Pages: 95-117
Date Published
2007
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews the research literature regarding the association between exposure to pornography and sexual offenses.
Abstract
Results indicated that, to date, research has failed to establish a direct cause-and-effect link between the consumption of pornographic materials and sexual offending behavior. Generally, the literature review revealed mixed findings regarding the link between pornography and sexual offending, although there was one point of agreement in these studies: the availability and exposure to pornography does nothing to dissuade pornography consumers from engaging in sexually offending behavior. In one study of juvenile offenders it was found that juvenile sex offenders were more likely to have been exposed to pornography between the ages of 5 and 8 years. The inconsistent findings in the research literature regarding the use of pornography as a predictor or precursor to sexual offending can be attributed to differing research methodologies, including differences in participant sampling strategies, measures of pornography exposure, and even the genres of pornography included in the studies. Although direct links between pornography and sexual offending have not been conclusively made, the author discusses the desensitizing impact of pornography on consumers of pornographic materials. Scant research has been conducted concerning the impact of pornography on incarcerated offenders. This is an important avenue for future research. Footnotes, references