29 Apr Department of Justice Reports Escalation of Child Pornography Cases

D.C., Maryland Areas No Exception to Nationwide Trend

Child pornography cases in the U.S. court system are up 330 percent nationwide from 1999, with law enforcement officials vigorously pursuing convictions to reign in the growing production of online child porn. The FBI investigates 2,500 new cases a year, and Department of Justice is hiring new prosecutors to tackle the increasing workload. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more child pornography cases are prosecuted than child sex abuse cases, a sharp reversal from a decade ago.

The D.C. and Maryland areas have had an increased child pornography caseload as well. D.C. prosecuted 21 cases in 2009, 19 more than in 1999. Maryland prosecuted 32 cases, up from only seven a decade ago, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported.

Rapid Proliferation of Technology Is the Likely Cause of Increase

Prosecutors and law enforcement officials speculate file-sharing, mobile devices and social networking are to blame. The Department of Justice estimates 9 million computers contained child pornography in 2009. Serious and repeat offenders can be sophisticated and methodical, using encryption techniques or password-restricted web groups to share child pornography among like-minded offenders.

Predators on social networking sites attempt lure children into sexually abusive relationships. The Department of Justice recently reported to Congress that often the first photos or videos are taken by the victims of the child pornographer themselves, which the offender then uses enter into an even more abusive relationship through deception, threats and blackmail.

Mobile devices are also creating worry. “Sexting” is a recent trend where teenagers can be involved in sending graphic images or texts through their cell phones. A study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy found that in 2009, 22 percent of girls aged 13-19 had sent electronic pictures or video of themselves nude or semi-nude, often to fellow students or friends. These pictures can then be uploaded onto the internet and fall into the hands of child pornographers. In Pennsylvania prosecutors recently charged several 16 and 17 year-old boys with child pornography for carrying cell phones with explicit pictures of their 14 and 15 year-old female classmates.

Sentencing

Sex crimes carry heavy sentencing. The minimum federal sentence for a first-time child pornographer is 15 years. Repeat offenders get even more severe punishment, with maximum sentencing of 50 years for second offenses and life for a third offense. In addition, if convicted an offender must register with his or her state’s sex offender registry list, for either 10 years or life, depending on the state and the type of conviction.