- Copine scale
The Copine Scale is a rating system used to categorise the severity of pornographic pictures of children. The scale was developed by staff at the COPINE project [http://www.copine.ie/] (Combating Paedophile Information Networks in Europe). The COPINE Project was founded in 1997, and is based in the Department of Applied Psychology,
University College Cork , Ireland.Use of the COPINE scale
Therapeutic
The COPINE scale was originally developed for therapeutic psychological purposes. More specifically, it is used to distinguish between "child erotica" and "
child pornography ". In an article by professorMax Taylor , one of the academics working for the COPINE project, it is stated that: " [t] he significance of this distinction is to emphasise the potential sexual qualities of a whole range of kinds of photographs (and other material as well) not all of which may meet obscenity criteria' (Taylor et al, 2001: 97)."Judicial
The COPINE scale is increasingly used to judge the severity of images that suspects have in their possession. The 5 levels on the scale are considered to be:
1. Images depicting nudity or erotic posing, with no sexual activity:Nudist (naked or semi-naked in legitimate settings / sources):Erotica (surreptitious photographs showing underwear/nakedness):Posing (deliberate posing suggesting sexual content):Erotic posing (deliberate sexual or provocative poses):Explicit erotic posing (emphasis on genital area)
2. Sexual activity between children, or solo masturbation by a child:Explicit sexual activity not involving an adult
3. Non-penetrative sexual activity between adult(s) and child(ren):Assault (sexual assault involving adult)
4. Penetrative sexual activity between child(ren) and adult(s):Gross assault (penetrative assault involving adult)
5. Sadism or bestiality :Sadistic / bestiality (sexual images involving pain or animal)
External links
* [http://www.copine.ie/ COPINE project]
* [http://www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk/docs/advice_child_porn.pdf UK Sentencing Guidelines] (PDF)
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