The number of child pornography offenders in federal prison has nearly septupled since 2004, and most are serving mandatory sentences of five years or more, generally for crimes that did not involve assault or sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2016, for example, 1,565 people were sentenced for possessing, receiving, or distributing child pornography, but only 80 (5 percent) were also convicted of production or another form of sexual abuse. The average sentence was more than eight years.
Download the report: JacobSullum_Number-imprisoned-septupled
Duh.
I can’t help but wonder how many of those were caught because the government illegally distributed child pornography by operating child porn websites.
No matter how you cut it, years in prison for a picture. There’s tons of pictures with ISIL cutting off people’s heads online, yet I dont see them charging people with murder for viewing them…………
Obviously the harsher sentences are having a positive effect on the offense rate……….NOT!
But when a judge imposes a “softer” sentence, they suffer the rath of an uniformed public.
Judges (and evedently the Mi. A.G.) are recognizing the absurdity of the registry and sentencing guidelines for these offenses.
“That’s right: If one person hands another a drawing of children engaged in sexual activity, both can get five to 20 years.”
How can any human being with a decent IQ in their heads go and ‘defend’ their country when the lawmakers here have passed some of the most sick, evil, insane and unjust laws to have ever been put into existence ?
I find it beyond any logical reason why anyone would be proud of the US for having some of the dumbest laws on planet earth like this. The lawmakers have generally destroyed this country by destroying basic civil liberties. I don’t see those idiots claiming that looking at images of beheadings or other absolutely abhorrent violent acts that people find online should be Outlawed. Idiots. 99.9% of people that pass these laws have no damn clue what they’re even talking about, as if a picture of someone masturbating or having sex while under the age of 18 is somehow ‘violent’ by nature and absolutely creates a ‘market’ for abuse. That is the slickest, most fraudulent logic I’ve heard that keeps prisons full in this country, and real vulnerable children unsafe.
Joe1,2,3 ~ I have to agree with a lot of the things you are saying, and people should look at all this more logically. I don’t know anyone who has ever looked at CP nor have I ever watched it. I do, however, know people who watch movies where people are being murdered, tortured, raped, etc. I also know teenagers who play video games where they assassinate, kill, bomb, etc. Do I think they will act up on this in real life and kill, assassinate, bomb real people, or even fantasize about it? Maybe some will, but the majority won’t. If they did, we would be in a world of trouble. Merely watching things does not mean we will act up on it. End of story.
700% increase in 15 years!! That’s insane!!