LAW ENFORCEMENT VIEWS OF CYBERBULLYING AND SEXTING

"LAW ENFORCEMENT VIEWS OF CYBERBULLYING AND SEXTING"

It is a study based on cyberbulling and sexting. 979 officers were surveyed, to know what they thought about the high-tech teen problems and to see if there were any differences in perceived roles when comparing SROs with traditional police officers.

The vast majority of the SROs (94%) agreed or strongly agreed that cyberbullying is a serious problem warranting the response of law enforcement. Similarly, 93% agreed or strongly agreed that sexting is a serious concern for law enforcement. As far as experience, 78% of the SROs reported that they had investigated an average of 16 cyberbullying cases during the previous school year and 67% of the SROs reported that they had personally investigated a sexting incident in the previous year (average=5 incidents).

Like the SROs, the majority of the traditional police officers (82%) agreed or strongly agreed that cyberbullying as a serious problem warranting the response of law enforcement. Seventy-eight percent agreed or strongly agreed that sexting is a serious concern for law enforcement. Relatively few of the traditional officers had experience investigating cyberbullying and sexting cases. Ten percent reported investigating an average of 2 cyberbullying cases during the previous school year and 7% reported that they had personally investigated a sexting incident in the previous year.

 In all cases the SROs rated the law enforcement role significantly higher than the traditional law enforcement officers.  Clearly, the officers who work in the schools, who most directly confront these problems, see themselves has having a greater responsibility in dealing with the cases than the officers who do not regularly work in schools.

Post by Shifa.