Arrests for Indecent Images Have Doubled Since 2017 – Is It Time to Rethink the Prosecution Approach?

Back in 2018, we published an article asking whether the criminal justice system should focus more on rehabilitation than prosecution for people who view indecent images of children—especially when those individuals pose a low risk of harming others.

At the time, police were arresting around 438 men every month for these offences, according to government data shared by Chief Constable Simon Bailey at a Home Office committee meeting. The NSPCC also raised serious concerns, estimating that over 500,000 people in the UK might be accessing this material. They described it as a “social emergency.”

Chief Constable Bailey publicly expressed his frustration. He pointed out that the sheer volume of these cases was overwhelming the police, and it made it harder for them to focus on tracking down organised offenders who are actually involved in child abuse, particularly in countries like the Philippines. He also highlighted the lack of treatment or rehabilitation options for lower-risk offenders.[1]

Now, seven years later, new figures suggest the situation has worsened.

Recent data—not officially published by the government, but referenced in academic research—shows that arrests have now doubled to around 850 per month. This steep increase was also reported in a recent article by The Guardian journalist Harriet Grant.

After our 2018 article, a working group led by the legal charity Justice looked at how sexual offences are prosecuted. The group included judges, lawyers, and police officers. Their review recommended that the government explore a "diversion scheme" for some of those caught with indecent images. The idea is to provide community-based interventions instead of prosecution for individuals who have not previously committed contact offences and are considered low risk.

The report argued that for many offenders, the shock of being arrested is enough to stop the behaviour. It referred to this as a "teachable moment", where immediate and focused support could prevent future offences without the need for a criminal conviction.

The data supported this view. Research showed that people with no prior convictions who are caught with indecent images have a very low chance of committing contact offences later—just 2%, and around 5% for repeating internet-based offences.

[1] “My real frustration that so much of this is preventable, and also looking at the facts as they are presented as of today: 23% of men—and it is almost exclusively men—that view indecent imagery of children receive a custodial sentence; 77% receive some other form of sanction. There is no rehabilitation involved anywhere, so they go to prison and there is no rehabilitation whatsoever for people that view indecent imagery. What are we doing? It feels like Will and I are just on this wheel, that we are arresting 438 men every month, and that is just for viewing indecent imagery. We are processing them and 77% receive nothing more than a suspended sentence or some form of community service order. There is no rehabilitation at all. All the time our resources are tied up dealing with that volume, which could be absolutely preventable, and is preventable.”

The working group concluded that a well-designed diversion scheme could be as effective—or even more effective—than prosecution, while also saving court time and resources.

Unfortunately, very little has changed since that 2019 report. In fact, the problem appears to have become more severe, especially during the lockdown period, according to data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

In 2025, it’s clear that the issue isn’t going away. While the government has focused on reducing access to harmful material online—such as through the proposed Online Safety Act, which includes age verification for adult content websites—there has been much less attention on rehabilitation and diversions away from court for those already caught offending.

It’s time to have a serious conversation about the best way to handle these cases. Prosecution is sometimes necessary. But for many individuals, a smarter, more compassionate approach that includes treatment and education could be more effective in preventing harm in the long term.