Month: April 2025

Europe: CSAM platform Kidflix shut down by international operation

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Source: therecord.media 4/2/25 A multi-year operation against the child sexual abuse material (CSAM) platform Kidflix has led to dozens of arrests and the seizure of tens of thousands of illegal videos, Europol said Wednesday. Some of the 79 people arrested “not only uploaded and watched videos but also abused children,” Europol said, reporting that 39 children had been protected because of the operation.  “The investigation is ongoing,” the agency said, with 35 countries participating overall in what it labeled as the “largest child sexual exploitation operation in Europol’s history.” Users accessed…

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MO: Guy Hamilton Smith: Nine Families from Missouri

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By Guy Hamilton Smith April 1, 2025 Nine Families from Missouri Two things happened this past week that have been in process for years. Most important first: we went to trial. Nine pseudonymous plaintiffs in a civil rights lawsuit offered evidence in a federal trial in Jefferson City, Missouri about the impact that the sex offense registry has had on them. This case, like many others like it around the country, has largely centered on the question of whether or not the registry is punishment. Amongst the claims that survived…

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My Release Came with Another Set of Shackles

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Source: prisonerswithchildren.org 3/25/25 Being released from incarceration was supposed to be a step toward freedom, but the reality of wearing an ankle monitor made it feel like another form of imprisonment. The heavy, restrictive device clamped around my ankle was more than just an inconvenience—it was painful, physically damaging, and emotionally degrading.  One of the first issues I encountered was the physical harm caused by the monitor. The device was bulky, and with every step, it rubbed against my skin. Within days, painful blisters formed, making walking difficult. The irritation…

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Cyprus: Bill proposes chemical castration as alternative to life sentences

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Source: cyprus-mail.com 3/28/25 Convicted child sex offenders could have the option to trade their life sentences for chemical castration if a bill proposed by Dipa MP Michalis Yiacoumi is passed. Under the proposed regulations, a convicted offender can apply to the council for the release of prisoners, which would have the authority to grant early release if the convict agrees to undergo chemical castration. The bill builds on the 2014 law that mandated life sentences for child sex crimes, making it stricter by allowing harsher sentences for child abuse and extending…

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The never-ending sentence: How parole and probation fuel mass incarceration

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Source: theconversation.com 4/2/25 The U.S. operates one of the largest and most punitive criminal justice systems in the world. On any given day, 1.9 million people are incarcerated in more than 6,000 federal, state and local facilities. Another 3.7 million remain under what scholars call “correctional control” through probation or parole supervision. That means one out of every 60 Americans is entangled in the system — one of the highest rates globally. Yet despite its vast reach, the criminal justice system often fails at its most basic goal: preventing people from being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated. Criminal justice…

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