Policing Teen Sexting

“The digital transmission of words and images is immediate and unbounded. This creates new freedoms but also new risks. In this important review of ‘where we are’, Phippen and Bond set out principles for harm reduction, weigh the balance of rights and law, and remind us that they shouldn’t have had to write this book! This is a major contribution to work on safeguarding, sexting and victimization.” -Nigel South, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Essex, UK This book explores the policing response to teen sexting – the digital exchange, both consensual and non-consensual, of intimate images among youth peers. With a particular focus in England and Wales, it also considers other international responses and the challenges faced in policing youth practices with legislation being applied beyond its intended scope. It uses the police responses in England and Wales as a case study of the challenges of policy evolving the digital cultural phenomenon andthe tensions between enforcing the law, while knowing it’s not fit for purpose, and supporting vulnerable minors. It explores the policy responses that have developed from the problematic legislation and whether these policy interventions have helped or hindered the policing process. It draws in parallels with drugs policy and policing, and brings in progressive, harm reduction approaches in contrast to traditional solutions. Andy Phippen is Professor of Digital Rights at Bournemouth University, UK. Emma Bond is Pro-vice Chancellor (Research) and Professor of Sociotechnical Studies at the University of Suffolk, UK.