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Abstract: 

This article examines the use of technology for the remote monitoring of sex offenders’ internet use. Sex offenders use the internet in a variety of ways that can range from reinforcing self-destructive sexual behaviors to criminal solicitation. Remote monitoring technology for detecting internet use that may violate the terms of an offender’s probation or parole has been in use for well over a decade, but only in the past few years has the technology been incorporated into sex offender treatment. The authors, a former federal probation office now with the monitoring company IPCC Technologies and a clinical therapist specializing in the treatment of sex offenders, explore how monitoring computer and internet use supports therapy; how data captured by monitoring can uncover treatment concerns; how the probation-clinician team can achieve better outcomes through collaboration; how use of pornography websites escalated dramatically during Covid and the implications of that increase for sex offender management programs including increased social isolation, and increases in deviant behavior; and a look ahead at how monitoring technology will have to confront the challenges created by the massive amount of data now being generated in the age of high speed internet.

Keywords: Monitoring Sex Offender Internet Use; the Probation-Clinician Team; Remote Internet Monitoring and Covid Restrictions; Use of Online Pornography

Affiliations:  1: IPCC Technologies; 2: Seeking Solace.