Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

South Coast Law Enforcement Agency Teams Up With University To Target Sexual Predators

Sexual predators who use social media and other online portals to target their victims have increased dramatically in recent years. That has prompted the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department to work with a university in hopes of better targeting these criminals.

The Department has partnered with Purdue University professor Dr. Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar, who specializes in behavioral sciences and cyber crime.

"We're working with her to try and identify patterns of online predators in an attempt to see which predators might actually lure victims to come and meet with them," Ventura County Sheriff's Sergeant Eric Tennessen said.

She will examine social media communications in Ventura County between predators and minors to determine the difference between sexual predators who only wish to exchange information online and those who wish to meet in person. The Sheriff’s Office hopes this study will help investigators prioritize cases involving inappropriate content sent to a minor and allow them to quickly target suspects who are likely to lure a victim to an in-person meeting.