Review common warning signs and behavioral patterns linked to child predators, including digital traces and online activity. Gain insight into investigative methods, digital evidence handling, and collaboration strategies aimed at protecting children.
By Brad Nakase, Attorney
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Child predators are often hidden from view. We wouldn’t suspect that the average person in our community is harboring a dark secret in the absence of evidence. Those who commit online crimes against children and who have CSAM (child sexual abuse material) in their possession often take advantage of this incognito effect to hide. They hide their despicable deeds from friends, family, coworkers, & neighbors.
There will be indications, though. The digital traces and behavioral characteristics of these people are telltale indicators. Law enforcement can advance investigations by combining these hints with the appropriate tactics if we are smart. Warning signs of a child predator can be recognized.
Initially, we must establish a concept of the offender and their distinguishing traits. Following hundreds of investigations containing evidence of child sexual abuse, involving suspect interviews, I discovered that there are three different categories or stages of child predators.
Possession and dissemination of CSAM (child sexual abuse material) are not the only things that most offenders do. Many offenders reported physically abusing at least one child during the 18-month Butner Study.
The significance of investigating cybercrimes against minors is emphasized by this.
One particular belief—that CSAM perpetrators are “only preoccupied with pictures”—is contested by the Burtner Study. This idea implies that the likelihood of the offender actually committing a sexual offense against a youngster is quite low. A different conclusion is suggested by the evidence.
The following characteristics and lifestyle choices can be displayed by a child offender in a particular combination:
These are the warning signs of a child predator that I’ve observed; they are by no means all-inclusive or definitive, but knowing what they are will help you identify predators if you ever have a concern about the safety of your children.
Handling difficult inquiries requires a combination of strategy and wisdom.
Career veterans generally advise keeping a composed and professional manner. When conducting a warrant search at a private residence, in a public area, or at other locations, meticulousness and uniformity in general should be observed.
Avoid forcing entry under any circumstances into a home or business while serving a warrant, if at all possible. As you read the Miranda, have each individual state that they know they have these rights. Read Miranda before reading through the search warrant. You’ll want to ensure you are “playing by the rules” via Miranda.
Then, when you get there, you just go around and check for any electrical things – servers, flash drives, cellphones, PCs, etc. Note anything unusual, including strangely arranged objects and any pinholes through which miniature cameras may be concealed.
Because modern cameras are so unobtrusive, predators frequently use them as a low-risk means of creating CSAM content. You may quickly look up the different disguises they use online, such as clocks, smoke detectors, and phone chargers. Some cameras are even concealed inside electrical plugs. A micro-SD chip or memory drive is interfaced with these devices, and it may hold proof of CSAM activity.
The incident when a man from San Jose placed a concealed camera beneath the sink opposite the toilet in a Starbucks washroom serves as an example of how selective these criminals can be. There were more than 90 victims. They had their material taken by the criminal.
Digital evidence and behavioral traits frequently expose the warning signs of a child predator. The dissemination of information is frequently uneven, even though all residents and witnesses may have hints. You can expedite your inquiry by identifying important people to interview. In addition to making sure the property is not destroyed during the search, investigators should, as experts, be aware of youngsters and secondary victims.
Upon gathering electronic evidence (such as smartphones) for subsequent examination, the following advice can be helpful:
Try to see the warning signs of a child predator. It is a critical step in prevention.
Collectors of CSAM take precautions to conceal their material. When trying to hide content deep within tiered subfolders or to disguise folder/file names, predators employ subtle names or codes. Their social media digital record, however, may still contain indications of illegal activities. Consistent patterns may signal the warning signs of a child predator and warrant professional review.
The sharing of knowledge between similar predators (think Validators & Believers) is a common feature of both the acquisition of CSAM and web-based crimes against children, as history demonstrates. They may have left hints in their messaging apps and emails. Therefore, be on the lookout for:
Bonus tip: Capturing the screenshot is a popular practice among individuals, predators included. Thanks to Optical Character Recognition technology, you can easily extract text from screenshots.
The most effective detectives put aside their emotions while questioning suspects and concentrate on the important people—the affected children. It is certainly possible to combine that goal-oriented attitude with maximum cooperation. Digital Forensics Units (DFU) and Investigative Units (IU) need to work together to identify the most tenacious predators that intentionally try to mask their tracks and manipulate evidence.
Tell people about what you find, including the general public, if you are able to. They would give you missing information and live reports on problems as they occur, giving your staff a more complete picture. To protect children, detectives cannot afford to overlook any information.
Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.
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