Noncontact Sexual Offenders

A noncontact sexual offender is an offender who engages in criminal behavior for the purpose of sexual gratification, but there is no physical contact between the offender and the victim. Voyeurism, exhibitionism, online interaction with children, and possessing and/or viewing child pornography are examples of noncontact sexual offending. Because the media and the public generally consider child pornography to be the most serious offense of the noncontact sexual offenses, this entry focuses on the possession of child pornography as an example of a noncontact sexual offense.

In general, child pornography depicts the sexual exploitation of a minor (including the sexual abuse of a minor). However, the criminal possession of child pornography does not require physical contact between the offender who is in possession of this material ...