Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Sentencing Law and Policy

Criminal Law

: Sentencing Law and Policy

WSJ reviews the state of federal child porn sentencing

By Douglas A. Berman

The Wall Street Journal has this new article discussing trends in federal child porn prosecutions and sentencing.  The piece is headlined, "Making Punishments Fit the Most Offensive Crimes: Societal Revulsion at Child-Pornography Consumers Has Led to Stiff Prison Sentences -- and Caused Some Judges to Rebel."  Here is how it begins:Are people who download and view child pornography -- but aren't themselves molesters -- as much of a threat to society as rapists or murderers?   The question, being raised by federal judges in response to tough sentences meted out to consumers of child pornography, goes to society's view of repugnant behavior and the legislative response to it. The average federal prison sentence for individuals who possess, receive or share child pornography jumped to roughly seven years in fiscal 2006 from about three years in 1994, according to Justice Department data...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on October 23, 2008 (boomark / email).