"Sexting" Teens Charged with Child Pornography
Clearly, authorities consider sexting to be a serious crime. In fact, CBS legal analyst Lisa Bloom says that sexting is a serious felony, and that the six aforementioned teens could be facing prison time.
One really has to question whether prison time is a bit too harsh a penalty for these young people to pay for their transgressions. It would seem reasonable to conclude that rational people of all political and religious persuasions would agree with Lisa Bloom when she asks, "What are we going to do, lock up 20 percent of America's teens?"
To be sure, an adult who sends nude pictures of children and teens via a text message would deserve to punished to the full extent of the law. But our judicial system has traditionally drawn a distinction between adult and juvenile crime. That distinction seems to have been lost here.
I'm reminded of the phenomenon of "streaking", which was a common stunt perpetrated by indiscreet and reckless youths during the 70s. In case you don't know, streaking means running naked in public. It was in vogue when I was in high school. And though I never participated in the act myself, I have friends that did.
You can imagine my surprise when, while eating lunch one day on a bench in the school courtyard, I saw my buddy and several other guys run by wearing nothing but their birthday suits. As far as I remember, all they received as punishment for their offense was a slap in the wrist. And the punishment fit the crime.
Source: Sexting Shockingly Common Among Teens, CBS News, January 15, 2009
Published by Hartley Engel
I was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada but raised in Los Angeles, California. I have a BA and MsEd degree from USC. View profile
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5 Comments
Post a CommentThis is stupid. Felony charges for sending some nude pics to some people your age? That's ridiculous. You don't see people getting charged for having sex with people their age (and they shouldn't, since it's their decision and I'm not going to judge those actions, since it's so case-by-case and personal), so why should we be charging these kids with felony charges?
Also, why is it that only the guys are being charged? I'm pretty sure that if we're demonizing the act (which I don't see a logical reason for) the girls aren't angels either. Why is it that suddenly we see the girls as victims and the guys as criminals? That's stupid.
If they want to do it, let them. If consequences come from them, they deal with that since it was a risk they took. But whatever. Teens know what they're doing, they're not idiots, and I'm not going to say it was wrong to do it since I can't tell what's good or bad for each individual person. It's a personal thing, and I'm not going to judge it.
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Charging them with child pornography is a bit strong, but I agree with Charlie that something needs to be done.
Interesting term 'sexting'. Now I know what to call it when I do it ;)
I am a very open-minded person, but have a lot of issues with the trends over the last couple of years. Teens posting topless or nude pix of themselves on myspace? Sending naked pics of themselves to their "dream" date? Last school year, several students at Mount Vernon High School were charged in a "sexting" case (didn't know the word until now - thanks Hartley!) Child pornography? I have issues with that charge. Pandering obscenity would be more appropriate.
I've mixed feelings on this but the truth is somehting does have to be done or these kids will unintentionally ruin their own lives and those of others.