The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending.
BACKGROUND
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Endrass
Jérôme
J
Department of Justice, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. jerome.endrass@ji.zh.ch
Urbaniok
Frank
F
Hammermeister
Lea C
LC
Benz
Christian
C
Elbert
Thomas
T
Laubacher
Arja
A
Rossegger
Astrid
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D004882:Erotica / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010378:Pedophilia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data