Keywords

sex offenders, undercover policing, Internet

Abstract

This study examines law enforcement personnel who work undercover chatting investigations in order to catch online sexual predators. This topic is quite timely, and law enforcement efforts in this area are new. As such, there is a dearth of research concerning the use of the internet as a location for law enforcement investigations, particularly as a setting for undercover work. This research addresses such questions as who are these law enforcement personnel who try to snag online sexual predators, how do they feel about working in the virtual world, what do they think about doing this type of work, how did they get selected for this particular position, how their jobs affect their personal lives outside of work, and what specifically their jobs entail. Twenty law enforcement personnel were interviewed from different parts of the United States. The interview schedule covered six areas: respondents' careers, their home lives, any training they have received that is relevant for their current positions, details about their jobs, the undercover aspects of their jobs, and their demographics. Findings are discussed. This study is important because it offers a closer look at the individuals who put their time and efforts into neutralizing online sexual predators before they can harm additional children. This knowledge will add to the current literature in this area as well as aid policy developers on issues concerning law enforcement organization and personnel.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2010

Advisor

Mustaine, Elizabeth E.

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Sociology

Degree Program

Applied Sociology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0003356

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0003356

Language

English

Release Date

August 2010

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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Sociology Commons

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