Growth and change in undercover online child exploitation investigations, 2000-2006.

Abstract This paper documents changes in the rates and characteristics of undercover police investigations against child sexual exploiters on the Internet. Telephone interviews were conducted with law enforcement officials about a nationally representative sample of cases ending in arrest for an Internet-related sex crime against a minor in 2000 and 2006. The survey found a 280% increase in arrests of offenders identified in undercover operations between the two time periods. This translates to an increase in estimated numbers of arrests nationwide from 826 to 3137. Federally funded Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces showed the largest increase in arrests by 988%. The growth in arrests suggests the successful adaptation of new technology and training to improve police effectiveness