Computer Safety for Persons who have Committed a Sexual Offense

1. Computer Safety for Persons who have Committed a Sexual Offense Daeton H. DeGrant, M.S., M.A., L.P.C. Nena L. Kircher, Psy.D., L.P. ILATSA - 2019

2. Objectives: • Upon completion of this educational activity, learners should be better able to Discuss the perspective that internet access is a basic human right essential for one to fully function as a member of our society. • Upon completion of this educational activity, learners should be able to explain the purpose and utility of an Internet Safety Plan for those with a history of sexual offending. • Upon completion of this educational activity, learners should be able to assist clients in developing an internet safety plan.

3. A Few Basic Assumptions • SO Clients can return to society and become productive parts of the community. • Not All SO Clients (even those releasing for civil commitment) will have constant supervision for the rest of their lives. • It is naïve to expect that our clients will not have some access to the internet via their own (or someone else’s) cell phone, tablet, computer or other device when they return to the community. • Addressing/Understanding Internet Safety is an important part of community (re)integration.

4. Internet as a Human Right • The Following have identified the Internet as a basic Human Right • UN Human Rights Commission • US Court of Appeals in DC • US Federal Trade Commission • These organizations compare the internet to basic utilities such as access to clean water and electricity which are necessary for participation in society.

5. Internet as a Human Right • Why is the internet really necessary? • Job Applications • Housing Applications • Communication with Healthcare Providers • Education

6. Internet as a Human Right • Internet for Those with Transportation or Mobility Limitations • Shopping (e.g. Amazon & Wal-Mart) • Groceries • Meal Delivery Services • Medication Delivery/Management

7. Why we need an internet safety plan? • Similar to going to the grocery store without a shopping list, getting online without a clear plan can cause problems for our clients. • Clients need to: • Identify Triggers and Unhealthy Online Situations (e.g. Casual Browsing) • Identify Healthy and Appropriate ways to use the Internet • Structure Time • Have a Plan and a Reason for getting online • Have a plan for coping with and reporting unhealthy online situations • Have a plan for dealing with accidental clicks

8. Why we need an internet safety plan? • Due to the rapid growth of technology the Internet is more accessible and because of this one of the most common ways an individual can access deviant material. • Our Clients need assistance in planning for healthy and safety internet use in the same way they need assistance with other areas of their Risk Management Plan. • However, Internet Safety Planning is typically overlooked or lumped into other areas of Risk Management even thought it has the potential to account for a large proportion of risk.

9. Internet Safety Planning • Preparation • Assess knowledge/understanding of basic computer and internet technologies • If necessary, Education related to basic computer and internet skills • Education regarding healthy internet usage • Remember patients who have served long sentences (or incarceration plus civil commitment) may have had little exposure to the internet

10. Internet Safety Planning • Disclosure of previous unhealthy internet behaviors or internet offending • Child Porn • Online Soliciting • Peer to Peer Sharing Websites • Deviant Erotic Fiction Chatrooms or Websites

11. Internet Safety Planning • Review of Offense Parallel Behaviors Related to Internet Use • Viewing Videos with Suggestive or Erotic Scenes of individuals similar to prior victims • Viewing Videos with Extreme Violence • Viewing Videos that are immature/child-themed/directed toward children

12. Internet Safety Plan • Similar to going to the grocery store without a shopping list, getting online without a clear plan can cause problems for our clients. • Clients need to: • Identify Triggers and Unhealthy Online Situations (e.g. Casual Browsing) • Identify Healthy and Appropriate ways to use the Internet • Structure Time • Have a Plan and a Reason for getting online • Have a plan for coping with and reporting unhealthy online situations • Have a plan for dealing with accidental clicks

13. Internet Safety Planning • The client must always consider these questions regarding any internet activity • Is it a Secret? Anything that you would not want others to know you are doing on the internet is solid indication that perhaps you should not engage that behavior. • Is it Abusive to self or others? Anything that is exploitive or harmful to others or degrades oneself is unhealthy and possibly illegal sexual behavior. • Is it Healthy? The internet is an amazing tool that can connect a person to host of information but this information can also be harmful or encourage deviant behavior. Ensure you always have a plan for using the internet and the follow that plan.

14. Internet Safety Plan Client will identify the ways in which he plans to access the internet and these will be approved or signed off on by the treatment team/provider:

15. Internet Safety Plan • Clients need to have a Detailed Plan each time they get online: • Purpose for Getting Online • How Much Time they will Spend • Behaviors they will avoid while online • Coping skills they can use if they become distracted or overwhelmed.

16. Internet Safety Plan • Plan for Getting Online.

17. Internet Safety Planning • Step One: Create Three Areas or Zones of Internet Use • Low Risk Zone includes behaviors/websites that are always healthy for the individual client • Medium Risk Zone includes behaviors/websites that are sometimes healthy, but not always • High Risk Zone includes behaviors/websites that are never healthy for the individual client

18. Internet Safety Planning • Low Risk Zone includes behaviors/websites that are always healthy for the individual client • Using email to contact primary social support • Communicating with health care providers • Using the internet to locate community resources (housing, employment, etc). Note: Websites may change “zones” as they update or alter their content. Behaviors may change “zones” as client’s acute and environmental factors alter.

19. Internet Safety Planning • Medium Risk Zone includes behaviors/websites that are sometimes healthy, but not always • Not getting on the internet when angry, stressed out tired, or overwhelmed • Going online when alone • Accessing Streaming Websites (e.g. Netflix, Hulu).

20. Internet Safety Planning • High Risk Zone includes behaviors/websites that are never healthy for the individual client • Casual internet browsing/Web Surfing • Going online after 10PM or when tired/fatigued • Looking at teen clothing models • Social Media

21. Internet Safety Planning

22. Internet Safety Planning

23. Internet Safety Planning • Identify all internet enabled devices that client will be using • Cell phone • Tablet (e.g. ipad, kindle, etc.) • Computer or Laptop • Video Game Systems

24. Internet Safety Planning • Identify what monitoring or blocking and filtering measures will be in place to assist client with healthy internet use

25. Internet Safety Planning • Accountability Partners • Individuals who are members of client’s social support • At first, this may consist of Monitor, PO, Case Manager and Therapist • Goal is for these to be individuals who are intimate members of client’s support group and are committed to his risk management plan.

26. Internet Safety Planning • Identify accountability partners whom client can rely on to assist him in healthy internet use.

27. Internet Safety Planning • Client or Provider my choose to utilize/require external measures of accountability. • These could include: • Internet Tracking Logs • Polygraph • Blocking/Filtering Software

28. Internet Safety Planning • Help the client identify external measures he will use to hold himself accountable for his internet use:

29. Internet Safety Planning • Healthy vs. Unhealthy Internet Sites • Pornography and Social Media are obviously unhealthy sites • Other Sites are gray areas and are very individualized to the specific client: • Shopping Sites • Children’s Toys/Game • Fetish Items • Streaming Sites (e.g. Netflix, Hulu). • Horror Movies with Violence Against Women • Coming of Age films with Tweens • Children’s Sites • Disney • Nickelodeon

30. Internet Safety Planning • Make a list of healthy/appropriate internet sites that will be healthy for client to use on a regular basis • Make a list of unhealthy sites that should be completely avoided.

31. Internet Safety Planning • Risk Factors • Ensure Client has basic Education Regarding Dynamic and Acute Risk Factors • Assist Client in identifying how these Risk Factors may come into play with their internet usage. • This may be easier if they have had unhealthy internet use in the past. • For those who have not have internet experience or who have not have unhealthy internet behaviors in the past, consider the possibility of online behaviors that could be offense parallel.

32. Internet Safety Planning • Instruct client to identify Risk Factors Related to his Sexual Offending

33. Internet Safety Planning • Client needs to be able to demonstrate insight into his own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that represent signs/symptoms of his being triggered. • Encourage client to be aware of bodily sensations associated with being triggered. • Review emotions connected to prior instances of engaging in sexual violence/harm. • Encourage the application of mindfulness skills/techniques. • Refer client back to elements of their general Risk Management Plan

34. Internet Safety Planning • Assist client in identifying signs/symptoms he may experience, when he is also experiencing risk factors/triggers.

35. Internet Safety Planning • Client needs to be able to communicate with his accountability team to articulate what signs/symptoms they would observe if he were being triggered. • This should include changes to: • Behaviors • Emotions • Speech and Thought Patterns

36. Internet Safety Planning • Assist client in identifying signs/symptoms others may observe, when he is experiencing risk factors/triggers.

37. Internet Safety Planning • Client will need to have adequate coping skills in place to address instances of triggers or experiencing risk factors. • This should have already been adequately addressed in client’s Risk Management Plan. • Client should be able to articulate coping skills to PO, Treatment Providers, etc.

38. Internet Safety Planning • Instruct Client to Identify Coping Skills to Use when Experiencing Triggers and/or Risk Factors:

39. Internet Safety Planning • Additional Areas for Consideration: • Clients will need to update Internet Safety Plan as their Dynamic and Acute Risk/Needs change over time. • Conditions of Release from Civil Commitment • Probation/Parole Conditions • Patient Education Regarding Basic Internet Skills • Facility Policies related to Monitoring • How Often? • By Whom ? • Will Patient Provide Passwords to Accounts? • What Happens if Inappropriate/Deviant/Unhealthy Material is Detected?

40. Internet Safety Planning • Examples • Discussion

41. References • Behun J., Sweeney V, Delmonico D., & Griffin E., (2012). Filtering and monitoring internet content: a primer for helping professions. Sexual addiction & compulsivity: the journal of treatment & prevention. • Calhoun, L. (2016). U.S. court reaffirms net neutrality rules. Inc. <https://www.inc.com/lisa-calhoun/is-your-internet-a-necessity-or-a-nice-to-have-the-courts-verdict-is-in.html> • de Vries Robbe, M., Mann, R. E., Maruna, S., & Thorton, D. (2015). An exploration of protective factors supporting desistence from sexual offending. Sexual Abuse, 27 (1), 16-33. • Federal Communications Commission (2016). 2016 Broadband progress report. FCC16-6. Washington, D.C. • Hendrickson, J. (2017). How has the internet become a necessity in life? More than Finances. <https://morethanfinances.com/internet-become-necessity-life/> • Hoffman, D. L., Novak, T.P., & Venkatesh (2004). Has the internet become indispensible. Communications of the ACM, 47(7), 37-42. • Mann, R.E., Hanson, K.R., & Thorton, D. (2010). Assessing risk for sexual recidivism: Some proposals on the nature of psychologically meaningful risk factors. Sexual Abuse, 22(2), 191-217. • Przybylski, A. K. & Nash, V. (2018). Internet filtering and adolescent exposure to online sexual material. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 21(7), 405-410. • Ritter, M. (2018). New three-tiered sex offender law goes into effect Tuesday in Missouri. Meredith Corporation. KMOV.com • Ray, J.V., Kimonis, E.R., & Seto, M.A.(2013). Correlates and moderators of child pornography consumption in a community sample. Sexual Abuse, 26,6, 523-545. • Siegler, R., Deloache, J., & Eisenberg, N. (2003). How children develop. New York, NY: Worth. • Van den Berg, J.W., Smid, W.J., Wever, E. & Van Beek, D. (2018). The predictive properties of dynamic sex offender risk assessment instruments: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Assessment, 30(2), 179-191. • Velocci, C. (2016). Internet access is now a basic human right. Gizmodo. < https://gizmodo.com/internet-access-is-now-a-basic-human-right-1783081865> • Willis, G.M., Yates, P.M., Gannon, T.A., & Ward, T. (2012). How to integrate the Good Lives Model into treatment programs for sexual offending: An introduction and overview. Sexual Abuse, 25(2), 123-142. • Wilson, R.J., McWhinnie, A., Picheca, J.,, Prinzo, M., & Cortoni, F. (2007). Circles of Support and accountability: Engaging community volunteers in the management of high risk-sex offenders. Howard Journal, 46, 6-7.

42. Daeton27@gmail.comnenaleann@gmail.com