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<strong>Child</strong> PornograPhy First report oF the Dutch NatioNal rapporteur
Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>
Further to the previously-mentioned evaluation of the sexual offences legislation 87 in 2006, the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives, urged the Minister of Justice
to establish organisational measures aimed at improving the measures to tackle child pornography. 88
Subsequently, the police, 89 in consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, analysed the problem
in more detail, which resulted in the Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>
(PVAKP). 90 By implementing the programme of improvements, the Ministry of Justice strove to take the
measures to tackle child pornography to the next level. This programme ran for two years, entering into
force in December 2008. 91
The Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong> concluded that the approach to this
issue was not a dynamic one because it did not prioritise the measures adequately enough, and because
there was insufficient capacity available for the number of cases. What is more, the programme pointed
out that there was a one-sided focus on individuals who possess child abuse material, that insufficient
co-operation had been taking place between investigative bodies, and that the investigative process
appeared to lack effectiveness and efficiency. 92 The Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>
also included a number of sub-topics, such as: the development of innovative technological
measures; the development of a structural chain-oriented programme, including the implementation
of a barrier model; the professionalization of sex offence detectives; the development of a national database;
and research into the use of special investigative powers [Bijzondere opsporingsbevoegdheden, BOB]. 93
Towards the end of 2010, the Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong> presented a
plan to re-launch a second phase. The first phase of the Programme of Improvements had set various
measures in motion. The number of pending cases had remained constant, amongst other things, due
to the inflow of cases from international investigations, which could not be influenced. This was one of
the reasons that the desired shift of focus in detection – from those who possess child abuse material
to those who produce it, and the identification of victims – had not fully succeeded in getting off the
87 Lünnemann et al., 2006.
88 <strong>National</strong> Project on <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>, 2008.
89 The <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong> dossier formed part of the Sexual Offences portfolio (at that time). This portfolio
had a portfolio holder within the Board of Chief Commissioners, who was supported by the Sexual
Offences Expert Group. Due to the co-ordinating role that was assigned to the <strong>National</strong> Police Services
Agency with regard to the plan to tackle child pornography, the Deputy Chief of the <strong>National</strong> Police
Services Agency was also involved in this initiative. The sexual offences portfolio holder and the Chief
of the <strong>National</strong> Police Services Agency are both members of the Investigative Board. At the beginning
of 2008, discussions were held by this Board as well as the Board of Chief Commissioners regarding
the desired intensification of the efforts to tackle a number of phenomena. <strong>Child</strong> pornography is just
one of these phenomena, and by putting forward this pilot proposal, the portfolio holder wants to give
content to more intensive efforts to tackle child pornography (<strong>National</strong> Project on <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>,
2008).
90 Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>, 2011.
91 Ministry of Justice, 2010.
92 Programme of Improvements in Tackling <strong>Child</strong> <strong>Pornography</strong>, 2011.
93 Ministry of Justice, 2010.