Monday, January 13, 2014
Let's Begin!
Here is a very interesting article from CNN. A sixteen-year-old was recently convicted of distributing child pornography in connection with 'sexting' photos. Her sentence has yet to be determined. This is an issue we are more recently facing in juvenile justice- the intersection of technology and criminal behavior. How do we justly respond to criminal behavior committed over the internet or mobile devices? As we now recognize technology as an avenue of self expression, this issue seems to pose even GREATER challenges to the variations in conviction and sentencing responses within juvenile justice. Should there be a "one-size fits all" sanction for criminal behavior like this, or should the discretion be left up to the prosecution team or judge? In this case, do you believe the charge is a just one? Post...share...engage!
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/10/world/americas/canada-sexting-teen/index.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I believe that what this 16 yo did was cyber bullying because she distributed inappropriate pictures of someone else. I believe that the child pornography charges brought against her are appropriate because she chose to send these images out of an underage person. I think that sending pictures of this nature should hold serious charges like these in order to hopefully get teens to rethink their actions. I believe that the charges would be different to receive such images since they are not theoretically distributing. However, to play devil's advocate here I would have to ask what the charges would be for a teen to personally send out pictures of themselves. So, would the intent be taken into account when weighing the charges. For instance, sex between 2 consenting minors is not illegal as long as they are at the age of consent (16 in OH) are w/in the legally designated age range from each other (which I believe w/in 4 years from each other in OH). However, if teens that meet this criteria sext, would they not be brought up on child pornography charges because it's consensual? I believe that once intent and consent is taken into account then charges should be determined.
ReplyDeleteThis is my post, Letitia Bishop.
DeleteThis is another example of how the rapid growth of social media and technology have contributed greatly to this gap between proper legislation for like issues. While cyber bullying and sexting is very wrong, to charge youth with serious charges like child pornography is not accurate. However, due to there being a lack of legislation for like issues, there is no other way to categorize the crime. I am unsure what the proper legislation would entail, however I do believe there is a urging need to establish it.
ReplyDeleteTest comment
ReplyDeleteThis topic is very controversial in many ways. One big umbrella topic I would like to add to this is that the population of this young girl and the population of let's say her parents, the judge, lawyers are completely different. The use of technology varies from age group to age group. I was apart of a class offered to parents to help them learn about Facebook, twitter, snap chat ect. This was to help them be educated on ways children are "hiding" what they are doing online.
ReplyDeleteI am not condoning what the young girl did as far as sending out pictures of other children BUT I have to add that in some cases parents are held responsible for children's actions (such as truancy in schools). At what point are we giving the children,using this technology that their parents necessarily don't understand, the responsibility of using it correctly.
I would have to agree with Ashay, until the laws catch up who is to say what is an appropriate punishment or not.
Curious to me is that the female youth charged found the pictures on her boyfriend's phone, concluding that he was still involved with his ex-girlfriend and then chose to direct all communication to the ex rather than to the boyfriend: initial threats, then sending the pictures to others. How is that these photos were on his phone? Did he take them? Did the ex-girlfriend send them? The defense lawyer states in the video: "None of these youths realized the jeopardy in which they were placing themselves." I agree. Each one seems to have played a part in an outcome that might have been better resolved. The accused female seems to act without thinking but so have the other youth involved. Only one stands trial. I am also concerned that the way in which the issue/case is addressed in this court system is "setting a precedent" especially when the prosecutor considered child pornography to be an "appropriate charge" but then admitted: "nothing I found quite fit." I do agree that this case could be a "warning to teens about what they text/post" but I am not certain that the message legal systems are sending is clear or effective.
ReplyDelete