This article starts off with a very powerful statement. It says that an 80 year old man can have sex with a 16 year old girl with consent in over half the states. It then goes on by saying that the if an 18 year has possession of a naked picture of a 17 year old, the punishment is equal to setting off a nuclear bomb in a national park via our legal system. This makes you really think about these laws, and what type of affects they can have. If an 18 year old obtains child pornography, it is said that they are subject to serve a minimum of a 15 year sentence. I understand that sometimes there can be an age difference between the two people and they may or may not exchange sexually implicit pictures, but a 15 year sentence to me seems kind of harsh. I do not truly think it takes someone 15 years to realize that they made a mistake with inappropriate pictures. Looking at the other side of the story, I could see how someone could really want revenge on an offender that had inappropriate pictures of their young child. In this case, I am talking real young and the offender is actually a pedophile. This is why I do not think that this mandatory minimum should be in place, because you never know the situation. The article then goes on to say that Congress raised the child pornography age from 16 to 18 to “solely make prosecutions easier”. I am not sure if I actually believe this or they are just saying it to make you feel one sided. I feel like that if Congress did this, it would be for the sole reason of protecting our youth, not to make prosecutions easier. I do believe that states should follow Maine’s strategies of decriminalizing sexting of specific age groups or consider Romeo and Juliet clauses in these cases. -lilbaby001
I agree that punishing kids by prison time for sending or receiving sexually explicit pictures or texts from someone close to them in age is a pretty harsh punishment. I think that if it is kids just getting caught sending or receiving should be punished by the parents and what punishment they deem appropriate. If the guy or girl decides to publish them or show them to all of their friends then maybe a more harsh sentence should ensue, but not 15 years in prison and being tagged as a pedophile for the rest of your life here on earth. -Legion001
I agree that it is interesting that in the article it says "solely to make prosecutions easier." I am not sure if that was the real reason in order for them to make a change or just to persuade you to believe their point. I also agree that a 15 year sentence is quite brutal for someone who is very young. I punishment like that will impact someone for the rest of their lives. Jackrabbit001
I think that child pornography laws and sexting laws are a difficult topic to talk about. Not just because it is kind of awkward to talk about but also because it is a serious matter that affects the lives of kids and could ruin their lives forever, I think the age of consent laws are less of an issue in the sense of the age of consent should be between 17 or 18. I think that though that could be taken advantage of in the sense of 30 year old having sexual relations with a 17 or 18-year-old might be a little overblown, or in the case of the 80-year-old man having sex with a 16-year-old is sick in my opinion, and I would consider that man a pedophile. I think the age of consent laws should be dealing with the ages of 17 to later 20s because that is usually when people are dating or starting to look for a spouse and sex will be happening a lot between this age range. The age of consent should be protecting this age range and not 80-year old’s having sexual relations with a 16-year-old. I also think it could be an issue if two 16-year old’s have sex or something of that nature and I think that is a topic that should be case by case and not punished by 15 years. The punishment for sexting is also a difficult topic. People make mistakes or are pressured into sending sexually explicit pictures or texts at a young age. I think that anyone having pictures of kids under 15 is sick. I think though because so many teenagers have admitted to doing it that maybe take a look at the laws. If it gets shown to the world okay than maybe a punishment should follow but punishing kids with prison time for just sending or receiving in a consensual state I think is different and should be handled by the parents of the kids. -Legion001
I agree that this is a very difficult discussion topic but I believe it is something that needs to be discussed. There are very many sick people in the world and having a very harsh punishment for those individuals is definitely deserving if they committed the act but I think the mandatory minimum for a 18 year old seems like it goes too far. Someone who just made a mistake can have their lives completely ruined. The days of get tough on crime are over now but I think to a degree we need to stay tough on crime when dealing with child pornography but keep in mind the affect on someones life in the justice system if the circumstances are accidental. -Blues001
This really isn’t an easy topic to discuss. With the rise of technology and nearly everyone in the U.S having access to cameras on their phone, comes all new issues such as sexting. This is a fairly recent issue discussed by many, and it seems no one truly has the right answer on how to deal with it. There is so much to risk when sexting, yet it seems so common especially among teenagers and young adults. In the situation America is in right now, I don’t think that the government really can do anything to stop online sexting. I feel that its an issue that should be discussed between parents and their children. I don’t think that it is fair for the government to label certain people as sex offenders for having sexually explicit images of someone 3 years younger than them on their phone. Though there may be some moral issues to discuss, doesn’t mean someone should have their life ruined by being labeled a sex offender. Having said that, if the age gap is large enough, then yes there is an issue, but if a 16 and 18-year-old consent to sending each other explicit images to each other, they shouldn’t risk punishment by the government. On issues such as releasing images of someone else’s body without their consent, there should be punishment. That could ruin lives and haunt people forever. In fact, I believe the article stated that people commit suicide because of this. I feel that schools should be teaching about this in their classrooms considering how many teenagers have admitted to participating in sexting. Their minds are still developing, and teens are bound to make unwise decisions. People just need to be informed about the potential harm that could come from this. Sexy_in_bikini001
You bring up a very good point about how "sexting" is not a government issue. It is an issue between the parents and their children. I think that every parent should have this talk with their child, and continue to have this talk with their child as they grow just to remind them how dangerous it can be. Then again, this also brings up the issue of children with no parent figure in their life. Yes this is unfortunate, but the child can not help that they had never had a parent figure to teach them right from wrong. I also agree with you that if a similar age person is sending pictures to another, their should not be punishment in this but if they are spreading images of this person, their should be punishment. -lilbaby001
The biggest problem I see with this sort of stuff is that people in relationships send each other pictures and then after their relationship ends these pictures get posted on the internet or even spread around a school or something like that and that's mentioned in the article. That sort of thing can be incredibly harmful to a Young person's mental health some have even committed suicide over it. With that being said I do agree that maybe this sort of thing should be aligned with a states age of consent for sexual behavior. This is because it currently contradicts the age of consent. If an 18 year old guy is in a relationship with a girl before he turns 18 and she is currently of consenting age,17 for example, I think it's fair for them to say whatever they want to each other. But if a situation was happening like the one I just mentioned I don't think it would be fair for the guy to be charged as a pedophile or anything like that.The problem starts when these guys start showing these pictures to other people. Like the article mentioned this sort of behavior should definitely be taught about in schools and warned against because it could have long-lasting repercussions. as long as it's done safely and nobody gets hurt because of it then it should be legal. Even if laws don't change regarding this it's going to keep happening regardless of what the laws say.-waterboy001
This article touches on a very difficult and confusing topic in our courtrooms and schools. This article starts off with a very stunning fact that an 80 year old man can have sex with a 16 year old who consents, and that is able to occur in over half of the states in our country. This is a very real issue and there is some much needed reform in our states in order to protect children and others from things like this happening. Child pornography was an issue stated as well and that is a much more difficult pill to swallow. A mandatory minimum of 15 years was placed into affect in the federal system in 2017 and an 18 year old can receive this mandatory minimum sentence and in some states be subject to being labeled as a sex offender for the rest of their lives. While I do believe in punishing those for the child pornography I do also believe this sentence and punishment could permanently damage the rest of a young 18 year old's life.I think their should be some form of mitigating circumstance such as if the kid produced the photographs onto a social media platform or the open web that his or her punishment should be more. Many people make mistakes early on in their lives and to have such a harsh and severe punishment could lead to a future of crime if they never advance in life and gain an education. I also believe there should be a reform nationally on the age of consent because personally I think 16 is entirely too young especially considering if the other individual is very much older. I agree with the author that more states should follow in the footsteps of Maine and get the federal government much more involved in order to counteract a cycle of re offenders later in life. -Blues001
This article was interesting. While I do believe that teen consent and sexting has become a huge problem with the development of cell phones and smart devices, attempting to fix a problem like this can be quite difficult. Consent ages have always been tough to decide and can not be applied in every situation. Reading this article reminds me of a situation that a friend of mine had dealt with. A woman was 16 and her boyfriend was 21. The woman ended up getting pregnant and the boyfriend was just about to leave for boot camp for the Marines. It was difficult because legally if she admitted that he was the father the state would have gone after him due to the age of consent in Illinois. She was pretty much on her own financially and physically because he was gone. In a situation like that I believe the age of consent is not fair because there was consent and there was no way for her to get any help. I agree that states should follow in Maine's footsteps. Consent is a tough idea to grasp especially for youths. I do not believe it to be fair for an individual to be labeled as a sex offender for life due to some uneducated decision made with their significant other in high school. I do believe however that every case is different and should be treated as such. I am not to fond of having strict laws behind tough subjects like consent. I am also unsure how fair it is that in one state having consensual sex with a 16 year old is not a crime but the state right next door you are deemed a sexual predator and must carry that for life. Jackrabbit001
The beginning of the article is actually very disturbing stating that “ In America, an 80-year-old man can have sex with a consenting 16-year-old without breaking the law in over half the states. But the possession by an 18-year-old of a digital image of a 17-year-old’s bare breast is considered by our legal system as the equivalent of setting off a nuclear bomb in a national park.” If that statement does not disgust you then i don't know what does honestly. Knowing that an 80 year old can have sex with a 16 year old is absolutely out of this world because why does an 80 year old person even find a 16 year old attractive? And then stating that “ the possession by an 18-year-old of a digital image of a 17-year-old’s bare breast is considered by our legal system as the equivalent of setting off a nuclear bomb in a national park.” What is the 17 year old sent the picture to begin with? What if she said it was okay for this boy to have this picture? This article continues to state that “Under the 2017 federal Protection Against Sexual Exploitation of Minors Act, a first offender who “knowingly” produces, or causes to be produced or transmitted, “a visual depiction of a minor engaged in any sexually explicit conduct” is subject to a mandatory-minimum prison sentence of 15 years.” 15 YEARS. 15 years for a picture another child willingly sent. 15 years and the chance to land a spot on the sex offender registry, labeled as a dangerous pedophile. Unbelievable. The age difference for anything matters obviously but to be that close in age and still have the chance to be deemed an actual sex offender is a little harsh, we have grown men and women taking advantage of YOUNG kids and we’re worried about two teenagers who are most likely a year apart? Child pornography and sexting is a very hard topic to talk about due to different positions and people taking sides but I do strongly believe that 15 years and being on the sex offenders list is ridiculous. -freckles001
I think that this is not only a very confusing and difficult problem to look at but it is also one of the most serious ones. The article talks about some confusing parts in our legal system here in the United States. An 80 year old man can have consensual sex with a 16 year old in over half of the states. I think that this should definetly be looked into because I don’t think there is anyone denying that this is unacceptable. I think that they should create an age gap restriction that would solve a lot of these problems. I don’t know what that age gap law would be, but it would be big enough to only catch the pedophiles. For example, if we made it illegal to have sex with anyone more than 50 years younger than you, than that would eliminate the problem of old people seducing and convincing kids to engage in sexual acts. This also wouldn’t get in the way of normal people having abnormal relationships because statistically there just isn’t people married with a 50 year age gap. I think that this would be the most logical and simplistic way of doing it. I really think that sex offenders do deserve a second chance but only if they have completed some sort of rehabilitation program and haven’t just completed their jail time. Putting someone with these urges in jail for 30 years isn’t going to just make them go away, they’re going to come out of prison even more dangerous than before. I think that we need to make it a requirement that anyone put in jail for child molestation or any children related sex crime needs to complete some sort of rehabilitation program based on what they did. I think this would make them safer to return to the public. Celtics001
I have to disagree with you on the sex offenders deserving a second chance, the REAL predators I mean, not the teenage sexters. I agree that they need help,and they should all be required to go through some kind of therapy, rehab, etcetera. Though things like that could maybe help the individual see their wrong doing, I believe that someone with those kind of inclinations, if you will, is a clear danger to themselves and others.-psych001
This article was a very interesting read, and a concept I am somewhat familiar with. I believe that these laws were put into place because they were supposed to help eliminate the issue our country has with child pornography. While I am sure it did help in that area, these laws have now also been used to incriminate, and prosecute young teenagers for consensual sexual images being swapped, or sexting. I believe that the rest of the United States should follow in the steps of Maine. Nearly three years ago, with bipartsan legislation, Maine took steps toward changing the stark approach they took toward young kids and their sexual indiscretion. Though I do agree that even those sexts and pictures could potentially be harmful, what is much more harmful are grown men and women preying on young kids, sexually abusing and exploiting them. I feel that if we are putting 15 year old boys on the registry for sending sexual pictures to their 16 year old girlfriends (consensually) then it could potentially make dangerous predators be taken less seriously. The more and more we hear about these way less serious infractions landing young boys and girls on the registry, the registry itself is beginning to look like a mockery. There is such a large difference between sexting and child pornography, and the sex offender registry should reflect that. -psych001
I agree with how you mentioned that having grown men or women preying on kids is a lot worse than the consensual sexual images between juveniles. I do think that sexting for juveniles even though they have different consent ages for different states shouldn’t be allowed as it is in Maine. It would then harm those who are victims of something that was allowed when the system is suppose to keep people safe. taco001
When it comes to juveniles and sex crimes it can be a little difficult to deal with. For the reason being that most teens are still going through body changes and they have not yet fully matured. As to their body changing, it is normal for a teenager to be curious as to what is to have a sex or have sexual behaviors. I honestly think that it becomes confusing and difficult when the age of consent is different for each state, it’s like having a blurred line as to what is really illegal. I think that when it comes to sexting, it should be illegal no matter what age. Like it was stated in the article, that digital pictures that are posted on the internet are there forever and can even “haunt” someone. Suicide has been the result in most cases involving girls whose pictures were posted on the internet. I mentioned that sexting in general should be illegal because even when a picture is sent to the right person who honestly won’t do any harm to the other person, it can land in the wrong hands and become leaked. And if so, I think that having mandatory minimums for offenders that intentionally, “knowingly” produces the pictures to be shared among others (not only minors), serve x amount of years can help reduce it. I think that minors and sexual intercourse can probably become easier to decriminalize. Yet, when it comes to technology and sexual behaviors is when the legal sexual conduct should fit the definition of child pornography and be illegal. For the reasons being, so that later in can’t affect the lives that could result in suicide. taco001
This article has a very interesting opening. I don't understand how an 80 year old man and a 16 year old can have consensual sex without it breaking the law in over half of the country. How can that be allowed? It makes no sense. That needs to be reconsidered. And yet an 18 year old with possession of a digital photo of a 17 year old's bare body can face up to 15 years in prison. Not only that but they could end up having to register as a sex offender. This is how big the punishment is even for a first time offender. I think part of the problem is the mandatory minimum laws. Because according to these laws anyone who is guilty of possession of a digital photo of that nature from someone else can be given a lengthy prison sentence. It seems too harsh of a punishment for someone that young. Because now that they are faced with these charges and now they have to be branded as a sex offender once they get out. Another problem I think is present is whether or not the courts consider whether the other person willingly sent the photo of themselves. And finally a lot of states are seeing sexting as an equal offense to child pornography. I don't believe why they would allow that or if that really applies there. In one part of the article it says that those digital images can end up being posted on the internet. If they are trying to protect these teens from that then it can be understandable why they would enforce these laws. However if a teen were to just have possession of the photo then it should not be punishable by imprisonment. The state of Maine appear to be making strategies that decriminalize sexting among certain age groups. Sexting and child pornography are not the same. -Ram001
This article brings up a point that I've heard before. Questionable circumstances and what it can evolve from. I don't like the fact that a man or woman of that age can have consensual sexual intercourse with a younger male or female who may be slightly underage in our country. There should be limits with the age gap between both participants. I also believe the laws that punish the teens who take part in sexting is also wrong. In my eyes, as long as they are both old enough to understand what it is what they are doing, it should be fine as long as the age gap does that exceed 2 years or 3 within reason. I don't think having images of ones significant other or ex-significant other should be labeled as child pornography if they are underage. However i do agree that the males and/or females who spread their significant others or ex's pictures should be punished equal to those charges. It is different with the circumstances. - Lobster001
This article starts off with a very powerful statement. It says that an 80 year old man can have sex with a 16 year old girl with consent in over half the states. It then goes on by saying that the if an 18 year has possession of a naked picture of a 17 year old, the punishment is equal to setting off a nuclear bomb in a national park via our legal system. This makes you really think about these laws, and what type of affects they can have. If an 18 year old obtains child pornography, it is said that they are subject to serve a minimum of a 15 year sentence. I understand that sometimes there can be an age difference between the two people and they may or may not exchange sexually implicit pictures, but a 15 year sentence to me seems kind of harsh. I do not truly think it takes someone 15 years to realize that they made a mistake with inappropriate pictures. Looking at the other side of the story, I could see how someone could really want revenge on an offender that had inappropriate pictures of their young child. In this case, I am talking real young and the offender is actually a pedophile. This is why I do not think that this mandatory minimum should be in place, because you never know the situation. The article then goes on to say that Congress raised the child pornography age from 16 to 18 to “solely make prosecutions easier”. I am not sure if I actually believe this or they are just saying it to make you feel one sided. I feel like that if Congress did this, it would be for the sole reason of protecting our youth, not to make prosecutions easier. I do believe that states should follow Maine’s strategies of decriminalizing sexting of specific age groups or consider Romeo and Juliet clauses in these cases. -lilbaby001
ReplyDeleteI agree that punishing kids by prison time for sending or receiving sexually explicit pictures or texts from someone close to them in age is a pretty harsh punishment. I think that if it is kids just getting caught sending or receiving should be punished by the parents and what punishment they deem appropriate. If the guy or girl decides to publish them or show them to all of their friends then maybe a more harsh sentence should ensue, but not 15 years in prison and being tagged as a pedophile for the rest of your life here on earth. -Legion001
DeleteI agree that it is interesting that in the article it says "solely to make prosecutions easier." I am not sure if that was the real reason in order for them to make a change or just to persuade you to believe their point. I also agree that a 15 year sentence is quite brutal for someone who is very young. I punishment like that will impact someone for the rest of their lives. Jackrabbit001
DeleteI think that child pornography laws and sexting laws are a difficult topic to talk about. Not just because it is kind of awkward to talk about but also because it is a serious matter that affects the lives of kids and could ruin their lives forever, I think the age of consent laws are less of an issue in the sense of the age of consent should be between 17 or 18. I think that though that could be taken advantage of in the sense of 30 year old having sexual relations with a 17 or 18-year-old might be a little overblown, or in the case of the 80-year-old man having sex with a 16-year-old is sick in my opinion, and I would consider that man a pedophile. I think the age of consent laws should be dealing with the ages of 17 to later 20s because that is usually when people are dating or starting to look for a spouse and sex will be happening a lot between this age range. The age of consent should be protecting this age range and not 80-year old’s having sexual relations with a 16-year-old. I also think it could be an issue if two 16-year old’s have sex or something of that nature and I think that is a topic that should be case by case and not punished by 15 years. The punishment for sexting is also a difficult topic. People make mistakes or are pressured into sending sexually explicit pictures or texts at a young age. I think that anyone having pictures of kids under 15 is sick. I think though because so many teenagers have admitted to doing it that maybe take a look at the laws. If it gets shown to the world okay than maybe a punishment should follow but punishing kids with prison time for just sending or receiving in a consensual state I think is different and should be handled by the parents of the kids. -Legion001
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a very difficult discussion topic but I believe it is something that needs to be discussed. There are very many sick people in the world and having a very harsh punishment for those individuals is definitely deserving if they committed the act but I think the mandatory minimum for a 18 year old seems like it goes too far. Someone who just made a mistake can have their lives completely ruined. The days of get tough on crime are over now but I think to a degree we need to stay tough on crime when dealing with child pornography but keep in mind the affect on someones life in the justice system if the circumstances are accidental. -Blues001
DeleteThis really isn’t an easy topic to discuss. With the rise of technology and nearly everyone in the U.S having access to cameras on their phone, comes all new issues such as sexting. This is a fairly recent issue discussed by many, and it seems no one truly has the right answer on how to deal with it. There is so much to risk when sexting, yet it seems so common especially among teenagers and young adults. In the situation America is in right now, I don’t think that the government really can do anything to stop online sexting. I feel that its an issue that should be discussed between parents and their children. I don’t think that it is fair for the government to label certain people as sex offenders for having sexually explicit images of someone 3 years younger than them on their phone. Though there may be some moral issues to discuss, doesn’t mean someone should have their life ruined by being labeled a sex offender. Having said that, if the age gap is large enough, then yes there is an issue, but if a 16 and 18-year-old consent to sending each other explicit images to each other, they shouldn’t risk punishment by the government. On issues such as releasing images of someone else’s body without their consent, there should be punishment. That could ruin lives and haunt people forever. In fact, I believe the article stated that people commit suicide because of this. I feel that schools should be teaching about this in their classrooms considering how many teenagers have admitted to participating in sexting. Their minds are still developing, and teens are bound to make unwise decisions. People just need to be informed about the potential harm that could come from this. Sexy_in_bikini001
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a very good point about how "sexting" is not a government issue. It is an issue between the parents and their children. I think that every parent should have this talk with their child, and continue to have this talk with their child as they grow just to remind them how dangerous it can be. Then again, this also brings up the issue of children with no parent figure in their life. Yes this is unfortunate, but the child can not help that they had never had a parent figure to teach them right from wrong. I also agree with you that if a similar age person is sending pictures to another, their should not be punishment in this but if they are spreading images of this person, their should be punishment. -lilbaby001
DeleteThe biggest problem I see with this sort of stuff is that people in relationships send each other pictures and then after their relationship ends these pictures get posted on the internet or even spread around a school or something like that and that's mentioned in the article. That sort of thing can be incredibly harmful to a Young person's mental health some have even committed suicide over it. With that being said I do agree that maybe this sort of thing should be aligned with a states age of consent for sexual behavior. This is because it currently contradicts the age of consent. If an 18 year old guy is in a relationship with a girl before he turns 18 and she is currently of consenting age,17 for example, I think it's fair for them to say whatever they want to each other. But if a situation was happening like the one I just mentioned I don't think it would be fair for the guy to be charged as a pedophile or anything like that.The problem starts when these guys start showing these pictures to other people. Like the article mentioned this sort of behavior should definitely be taught about in schools and warned against because it could have long-lasting repercussions. as long as it's done safely and nobody gets hurt because of it then it should be legal. Even if laws don't change regarding this it's going to keep happening regardless of what the laws say.-waterboy001
ReplyDeleteThis article touches on a very difficult and confusing topic in our courtrooms and schools. This article starts off with a very stunning fact that an 80 year old man can have sex with a 16 year old who consents, and that is able to occur in over half of the states in our country. This is a very real issue and there is some much needed reform in our states in order to protect children and others from things like this happening. Child pornography was an issue stated as well and that is a much more difficult pill to swallow. A mandatory minimum of 15 years was placed into affect in the federal system in 2017 and an 18 year old can receive this mandatory minimum sentence and in some states be subject to being labeled as a sex offender for the rest of their lives. While I do believe in punishing those for the child pornography I do also believe this sentence and punishment could permanently damage the rest of a young 18 year old's life.I think their should be some form of mitigating circumstance such as if the kid produced the photographs onto a social media platform or the open web that his or her punishment should be more. Many people make mistakes early on in their lives and to have such a harsh and severe punishment could lead to a future of crime if they never advance in life and gain an education. I also believe there should be a reform nationally on the age of consent because personally I think 16 is entirely too young especially considering if the other individual is very much older. I agree with the author that more states should follow in the footsteps of Maine and get the federal government much more involved in order to counteract a cycle of re offenders later in life. -Blues001
ReplyDeleteThis article was interesting. While I do believe that teen consent and sexting has become a huge problem with the development of cell phones and smart devices, attempting to fix a problem like this can be quite difficult. Consent ages have always been tough to decide and can not be applied in every situation. Reading this article reminds me of a situation that a friend of mine had dealt with. A woman was 16 and her boyfriend was 21. The woman ended up getting pregnant and the boyfriend was just about to leave for boot camp for the Marines. It was difficult because legally if she admitted that he was the father the state would have gone after him due to the age of consent in Illinois. She was pretty much on her own financially and physically because he was gone. In a situation like that I believe the age of consent is not fair because there was consent and there was no way for her to get any help. I agree that states should follow in Maine's footsteps. Consent is a tough idea to grasp especially for youths. I do not believe it to be fair for an individual to be labeled as a sex offender for life due to some uneducated decision made with their significant other in high school. I do believe however that every case is different and should be treated as such. I am not to fond of having strict laws behind tough subjects like consent. I am also unsure how fair it is that in one state having consensual sex with a 16 year old is not a crime but the state right next door you are deemed a sexual predator and must carry that for life. Jackrabbit001
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the article is actually very disturbing stating that “ In America, an 80-year-old man can have sex with a consenting 16-year-old without breaking the law in over half the states. But the possession by an 18-year-old of a digital image of a 17-year-old’s bare breast is considered by our legal system as the equivalent of setting off a nuclear bomb in a national park.” If that statement does not disgust you then i don't know what does honestly. Knowing that an 80 year old can have sex with a 16 year old is absolutely out of this world because why does an 80 year old person even find a 16 year old attractive? And then stating that “ the possession by an 18-year-old of a digital image of a 17-year-old’s bare breast is considered by our legal system as the equivalent of setting off a nuclear bomb in a national park.” What is the 17 year old sent the picture to begin with? What if she said it was okay for this boy to have this picture? This article continues to state that “Under the 2017 federal Protection Against Sexual Exploitation of Minors Act, a first offender who “knowingly” produces, or causes to be produced or transmitted, “a visual depiction of a minor engaged in any sexually explicit conduct” is subject to a mandatory-minimum prison sentence of 15 years.” 15 YEARS. 15 years for a picture another child willingly sent. 15 years and the chance to land a spot on the sex offender registry, labeled as a dangerous pedophile. Unbelievable. The age difference for anything matters obviously but to be that close in age and still have the chance to be deemed an actual sex offender is a little harsh, we have grown men and women taking advantage of YOUNG kids and we’re worried about two teenagers who are most likely a year apart? Child pornography and sexting is a very hard topic to talk about due to different positions and people taking sides but I do strongly believe that 15 years and being on the sex offenders list is ridiculous. -freckles001
ReplyDeleteI think that this is not only a very confusing and difficult problem to look at but it is also one of the most serious ones. The article talks about some confusing parts in our legal system here in the United States. An 80 year old man can have consensual sex with a 16 year old in over half of the states. I think that this should definetly be looked into because I don’t think there is anyone denying that this is unacceptable. I think that they should create an age gap restriction that would solve a lot of these problems. I don’t know what that age gap law would be, but it would be big enough to only catch the pedophiles. For example, if we made it illegal to have sex with anyone more than 50 years younger than you, than that would eliminate the problem of old people seducing and convincing kids to engage in sexual acts. This also wouldn’t get in the way of normal people having abnormal relationships because statistically there just isn’t people married with a 50 year age gap. I think that this would be the most logical and simplistic way of doing it. I really think that sex offenders do deserve a second chance but only if they have completed some sort of rehabilitation program and haven’t just completed their jail time. Putting someone with these urges in jail for 30 years isn’t going to just make them go away, they’re going to come out of prison even more dangerous than before. I think that we need to make it a requirement that anyone put in jail for child molestation or any children related sex crime needs to complete some sort of rehabilitation program based on what they did. I think this would make them safer to return to the public. Celtics001
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with you on the sex offenders deserving a second chance, the REAL predators I mean, not the teenage sexters. I agree that they need help,and they should all be required to go through some kind of therapy, rehab, etcetera. Though things like that could maybe help the individual see their wrong doing, I believe that someone with those kind of inclinations, if you will, is a clear danger to themselves and others.-psych001
DeleteThis article was a very interesting read, and a concept I am somewhat familiar with. I believe that these laws were put into place because they were supposed to help eliminate the issue our country has with child pornography. While I am sure it did help in that area, these laws have now also been used to incriminate, and prosecute young teenagers for consensual sexual images being swapped, or sexting. I believe that the rest of the United States should follow in the steps of Maine. Nearly three years ago, with bipartsan legislation, Maine took steps toward changing the stark approach they took toward young kids and their sexual indiscretion. Though I do agree that even those sexts and pictures could potentially be harmful, what is much more harmful are grown men and women preying on young kids, sexually abusing and exploiting them. I feel that if we are putting 15 year old boys on the registry for sending sexual pictures to their 16 year old girlfriends (consensually) then it could potentially make dangerous predators be taken less seriously. The more and more we hear about these way less serious infractions landing young boys and girls on the registry, the registry itself is beginning to look like a mockery. There is such a large difference between sexting and child pornography, and the sex offender registry should reflect that. -psych001
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you mentioned that having grown men or women preying on kids is a lot worse than the consensual sexual images between juveniles. I do think that sexting for juveniles even though they have different consent ages for different states shouldn’t be allowed as it is in Maine. It would then harm those who are victims of something that was allowed when the system is suppose to keep people safe. taco001
DeleteWhen it comes to juveniles and sex crimes it can be a little difficult to deal with. For the reason being that most teens are still going through body changes and they have not yet fully matured. As to their body changing, it is normal for a teenager to be curious as to what is to have a sex or have sexual behaviors. I honestly think that it becomes confusing and difficult when the age of consent is different for each state, it’s like having a blurred line as to what is really illegal. I think that when it comes to sexting, it should be illegal no matter what age. Like it was stated in the article, that digital pictures that are posted on the internet are there forever and can even “haunt” someone. Suicide has been the result in most cases involving girls whose pictures were posted on the internet. I mentioned that sexting in general should be illegal because even when a picture is sent to the right person who honestly won’t do any harm to the other person, it can land in the wrong hands and become leaked. And if so, I think that having mandatory minimums for offenders that intentionally, “knowingly” produces the pictures to be shared among others (not only minors), serve x amount of years can help reduce it. I think that minors and sexual intercourse can probably become easier to decriminalize. Yet, when it comes to technology and sexual behaviors is when the legal sexual conduct should fit the definition of child pornography and be illegal. For the reasons being, so that later in can’t affect the lives that could result in suicide. taco001
ReplyDeleteThis article has a very interesting opening. I don't understand how an 80 year old man and a 16 year old can have consensual sex without it breaking the law in over half of the country. How can that be allowed? It makes no sense. That needs to be reconsidered. And yet an 18 year old with possession of a digital photo of a 17 year old's bare body can face up to 15 years in prison. Not only that but they could end up having to register as a sex offender. This is how big the punishment is even for a first time offender. I think part of the problem is the mandatory minimum laws. Because according to these laws anyone who is guilty of possession of a digital photo of that nature from someone else can be given a lengthy prison sentence. It seems too harsh of a punishment for someone that young. Because now that they are faced with these charges and now they have to be branded as a sex offender once they get out. Another problem I think is present is whether or not the courts consider whether the other person willingly sent the photo of themselves. And finally a lot of states are seeing sexting as an equal offense to child pornography. I don't believe why they would allow that or if that really applies there. In one part of the article it says that those digital images can end up being posted on the internet. If they are trying to protect these teens from that then it can be understandable why they would enforce these laws. However if a teen were to just have possession of the photo then it should not be punishable by imprisonment. The state of Maine appear to be making strategies that decriminalize sexting among certain age groups. Sexting and child pornography are not the same.
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This article brings up a point that I've heard before. Questionable circumstances and what it can evolve from. I don't like the fact that a man or woman of that age can have consensual sexual intercourse with a younger male or female who may be slightly underage in our country. There should be limits with the age gap between both participants. I also believe the laws that punish the teens who take part in sexting is also wrong. In my eyes, as long as they are both old enough to understand what it is what they are doing, it should be fine as long as the age gap does that exceed 2 years or 3 within reason. I don't think having images of ones significant other or ex-significant other should be labeled as child pornography if they are underage. However i do agree that the males and/or females who spread their significant others or ex's pictures should be punished equal to those charges. It is different with the circumstances. - Lobster001
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