He could have----and maybe should have----charged each one with a minor MISDEMEANOR with the possibility that the charge could be expunged after a couple of years. If there are no problems in a couple of years, it could be taken off their record.

A thousand hours of community service would hopefully be enough to wake these kids up and make them realize that this could have been a serious situation. People, I believe, need consequences in order to make themselves a better person.

While I am not a fan of handing out felony charges like candy, I have no problem with holding these kids accountable with a misdemeanor, but not in a fashion that they will have to live with the rest of their lives. One of the major problems with our criminal justice system is that a felony conviction; even a minor, non-violent one, follows a person the rest of his or her life. Nobody----not society and certainly not the offender---benefits by having to deal with that for their entire lives. This idea of perpetual punishment---without end----destroys too many lives.

The DA said this, "He said the state district attorney’s council is looking at recommendations to make to the Legislature to change the punishment for possession of nude photos of underage subjects. “There is a need to make a distinction between the different categories of child pornography and sexting and try to get the law to reflect that in different ways. Child pornography possession would likely remain a felony and sexting would carry lesser penalties."

The changing of some of these ridiculous laws regarding images of minors is certainly a step in the right direction, and if this debacle accomplished this, it will have been worth it for society in the long run.

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I think taking classes and community service would have been appropriate. Glad no one is being charged with a felony.

I completely disagree. The law is clearly spelled out in every jurisdiction in this country. It is the job of law enforcement to, as the term implies, enforce existing laws. Laws that, absent prosecutorial discretion, criminalize entire demographics for seemingly harmless behavior are bad laws and must be changed. Until then, they are the law, to be enforced by the appropriate agencies. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

I kind of agree with all of you - the laws for CP should apply across the board but the laws are inherently wrong and bad laws. If they start doing pieces and parts of the law then they will have to set age limits also otherwise it would be a misdemeanor for a 45 yr old guy to text CP to a 60 yr old guy ? If they put age limits then we are telling the nation it is ok for these kids to indulge this behavior but not for adults - it really gets iffy for me ...

My point was that it is not permissible to give these kids a complete pass. I already mentioned to hold them accountable with a misdemearnor charge, which can be expunged. Then add some community service along with the sentence.

But make the punishment fit the crime.

My point is that ALL these situations----regardless of age----should only be a misdemeanor. To charge a young man with a felony for having a few naughty pictures on his computer and then to pass laws that this simple mistake will follow him the rest of his life in inexcusable. The DAs can punish all they want, but not using a felony conviction.

How many of the offenders represented on this board would be much better off if their CP charges had been misdemeanors instead of felonies??

Life will be hard enough for these young men and women without subjecting them to a lifetime of punishment for exchanging a few images of themselves.

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