For companion resources on federal recidivism research, sentencing risk assessment and Miramar treatment access, see Mitigation in Military Court Sentencing.
1. Overview of CP, Non-contact Offenders
This overview summarizes the ATSA’s discussion of internet-facilitated offenses and research on recidivism among people convicted of noncontact child pornography offenses. It presents cited comparisons with contact offenders, describes reported low group-level rates alongside variation in individual risk, and discusses how criminal history, sexual interest, and self-control may inform assessment and intervention.
2. Assessing CP, Non-contact Offenders
This article reviews assessment considerations for adults convicted of noncontact child pornography offenses, including structured risk tools and factors associated with recidivism. It describes CPORT-V2 and CASIC, discusses antisociality, sexual deviance, interpersonal competence, criminal history, and impulse control, and distinguishes static from changeable risk factors.
3. Research on CP Recidivism
This resource compiles research on later offending among people convicted of child pornography offenses, including follow-up studies, risk assessment research, and comparisons with contact offenders. The studies report varied outcomes across samples and follow-up periods, with prior offending history and age among the factors associated with later offenses, and several reviews describe comparatively low rates of new contact sexual offenses in online-offender samples.
4. Dark Figures in CP Research
This resource examines the hidden prevalence of prior hands-on sexual offenses among people investigated for online child sexual abuse material offenses. It reviews self-report research and the disputed Butner study, while noting concerns about underreporting, study methods, and how broadly the findings can be generalized.
5. Assessing Contact Offenders
This resource surveys research and methods used to assess people who commit contact sexual offenses against children, including individuals who solicit minors online. It discusses recidivism predictors, static and changeable risk factors, and the limits of applying established tools to online-only or fantasy-driven cases.
6. Aggravating and Mediating Factors for CP Offenders
This outline presents a continuum of conduct discussed in relation to child pornography sentencing, from receipt and possession through distribution and production. It distinguishes passive from active distribution and lists offense-related factors for consideration.
7. CP Offender Types
This document surveys proposed typologies for people who commit online child pornography offenses, drawing on classifications developed by several researchers. The categories distinguish patterns such as opportunistic viewing, private collection, trading, grooming, production, and contact offending, while the accompanying research compares online-only, contact, and dual offenders across behavioral and clinical characteristics.
8. CP Use in the General Population
This compilation reviews research and population indicators concerning child pornography use, sexual interests, and prosecuted online offenses. It summarizes findings from surveys, search data, and offender studies, while separating reported fantasies from criminal conduct and noting that the cited prosecution research describes different characteristics among people arrested for online offenses.
9. History of CP Laws
This brief history traces changes in child pornography laws and enforcement, with emphasis on United States statutes and sentencing. It outlines major legislative developments beginning in the 1970s, describes selected federal sentencing factors and legal tests, and places those changes alongside historical data and policy responses to online offenses.