James N. Brown, J.D.
Detective - Retired

It is estimated there are 25 million to 30 million children, ages 10-17, using the Internet today. To a predator, this is a target rich environment. No longer does a predator need to leave his home and venture forth into the public to target potential victims. No longer is his pool of potential victims a small group. He can now stay in the isolation of his home and prowl the Internet and its chat rooms to find unsuspecting children.

In addition to sheer numbers, there are certain false perceptions that encourage risky behavior on the Internet. First, the predator feels they cannot be identified or caught. This is not the case. Most people using the Internet can be identified and located. This is done first through public records and then through court-ordered release of information. Despite this reality, most predators are very aggressive on the Internet because they do feel anonymous, and if a potential child rebukes him, there are millions more to target.

The second perception involves children and families. We all like to feel that we are safe, secure, and isolated from the outside world when we are in our own homes. This perception is fairly accurate if there is no Internet-connected computer in the home. However, through an Internet connection, a home becomes vulnerable to unsuspecting families. This is because the wonderful world of the Internet is not a one-way street. When a home is connected to the Internet, the world is connected to the home. Through the Internet, predators have immediate access to children, even in their homes.

The last perception is that everyone feels they are anonymous when they are on the Internet. The predator will do their best to keep their true identity from discovery. However, most children are not so cautious. This is why Internet safety presentations are adamant that children never post any real information about themselves on the Internet. This is also why we encourage families to never put an Internet-connected computer in a child’s bedroom. The analogy that I use for parents is to tell them that doing so is the same as allowing a total stranger to enter their home, go to their child’s room, and have an unsupervised conversation with the child; a conversation that could last hours and can include the exchange of adult and child pornography.

This three-part series has demonstrated how the personal computer and the Internet have become very important to child predators. They have allowed them a huge target rich environment. They have allowed them to search for victims from the confines of their own homes. And, they have opened up a portal to children and families who believe they are safe in their homes.

If anyone has a specific question regarding the information presented in my A Target-Rich Environment series, please post your question to my Ask The Expert forum on the RADAR website.