NCJ Number
178996
Date Published
November 1999
Publication Series
Annotation
This video presents a teleconference on the methods of
exploitation of children through the Internet and how teachers
and parents can help prevent this.
Abstract
A video clip is first presented to provide an overview of the
criminal methods used by sexual predators to lure children and
adolescents into sexually explicit communications on the Internet
as well as the online transference of child pornography. The most
dangerous form of Internet seduction is that which lures children
and youth into face-to-face contact with the predator, which can
result in criminal victimization. Following the video clip, a
panel of experts discusses ways in which parents and teachers can
assist in preventing child exploitation through the Internet. The
panel consists of a representative of the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children, a representative of the U.S.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the
founder of a local program designed to teach children and youth
about "safe surfing," and the executive director of the National
School Boards Association. Some prevention measures suggested by
the panel are the maintenance of open communication between
parents and children about the use of the Internet, the use of
filtering programs and browsers, the placement of computers in
areas that can be easily supervised, the setting of guidelines
and rules for children to follow while online, and the education
of children about the dangers of the Internet. A video clip is
used to portray the activities of Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, a
program of the Bedford County Sheriff's Office (Virginia)
designed to combat child pornography and other crimes against
children over the Internet. A parent also describes how her
daughter was seduced into direct contact with a man through
Internet communications. Questions from teleconference viewers
are answered by panel members. A participant packet accompanies
the video.
Date Published: November 1, 1999