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Link between online and offline offending

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Inthemoment

Member since
February 2023

358 posts

Posted Sat February 24, 2024 7:33pmReport post

I've spoken to LFF on the helpline and they stated that research suggests around 3% of men who look at illegal images of children online go on to contact offend

However they said that men who have contact offended first, are fairly likely to go on to look at images online

I can't find any research to back this up or to quote in our safety plan (possibly because a lot of research is behind paywalls). I wondered if anyone had more info or links to research about this? I've tried to search back in the forum but it comes up with lots of threads that don't give specific research

Thanks in advance :)

Distressed and pregnant

Member since
November 2020

1001 posts

Posted Sun February 25, 2024 8:03amReport post

Hi,

I found information and quoted on my research to ss, I think I sent them the links. It was around the risk level and percentage of people who go on to offend online or in person. It was based on the risk level given via risk matrix and Oasys. I'll find it and edit to add to the bottom of my comment. Also, it would probably be better not to mention anything that isn't your situation if that makes sense. So highlighting if someone contact offends then they are likely to look at images won't necessarily be helpful to quote. I think I gave the link and highlighted his risk level and the figures quoted for this only xx

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/600eaacfd3bf7f05c06dfc48/comparing-2-predictors-sexual-recidivism.pdf

This compares the two tools on page 13 of 26. This is what I sent over. Do you have a risk level via either of these tools for your OH? xx

Edited Sun February 25, 2024 8:11am

Inthemoment

Member since
February 2023

358 posts

Posted Mon February 26, 2024 9:31amReport post

Thank you so much for this link, I think I found something similar and quoted that, however unless I'm reading it wrong I don't think it shows cross over stats, ie those who offend online crossing over to contact?

The difficulty we have is the prosecuting authority said he was medium risk in everything but high risk to our son. The authority he lives in reassessed as medium to our son and medium or low in the other categories. He's now moving back home to the prosecuting authority so switching PO and mosovo, and we are also having a change of Social Worker very suddenly due to sickness. Essentially I want all our ducks in a row in case any of the 3 new professionals has a different opinion or wants to revert to the original assessment which could disrupt his return home and the plan for unsupervised contact!

edel2020

Member since
March 2022

375 posts

Posted Mon February 26, 2024 10:35amReport post

You might want to check out this research from the Scottish risk management authority.

https://www.rma.scot/publications/a-review-of-the-risk-posed-by-internet-offenders/

page 68

" Faust et al. (2015) set out to address whether there is a link between internet (possession or distribution of IIOC) and contact offending. The authors examined the reoffending trends and trajectories of 428 internet offenders and 210 individuals convicted of contact offences. Dual offenders were deliberately excluded from the analysis to focus on the offending patterns of internet and contact offenders. Findings indicate that internet offenders have a comparatively lower risk of reoffending than contact offenders. The followup period ranged from one to nine years, with an average of 4.8 years. Only a minority of internet offenders (3%) went on to commit contact offences and an even lower number recidiviated with IIOC offences (1.6%). There was no crossover of contact offenders to IIOC offences."

Melody

Member since
March 2020

26 posts

Posted Mon February 26, 2024 11:00amReport post

Does anyone know any statistics for the risk of contact offending for those that have two convictions for online offences?

Inthemoment

Member since
February 2023

358 posts

Posted Mon February 26, 2024 11:07amReport post

Edel thank you so very much that's brilliant :)