On the Internet, child sex offenders rely on a number of grooming strategies to manipulate the child and gain their trust. The challenge for undercover law enforcement officers is chatting with these offenders "like a minor" within the confines of the law. We know that contact-driven offenders chat with minors differently than CSEM-focused offenders. In this workshop, we will teach law enforcement officers how to recognize these differences and respond accordingly so to minimize risk assessment by the offenders. These lawful methods will decrease the offender's suspicion as they mimic how real minors respond in chats. Case examples will be provided.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the grooming strategies of contact-driven and CSEM-driven offenders
Understand how "real minors" respond when chatting with contact-driven and CSEM-driven offenders
Learn how to respond "like a minor" within the confines of the law to minimize risk assessment by the offenders
