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Should Teen Sexting Be Decriminalized?
Filed under: Teen Culture
Sexting is a crime in most states. Credit: Corbis
Some think the current punishment for sexting is too extreme. A bill is being considered in Florida that would make a teen's first sexting offense "a non-criminal threat." A similar bill just passed in New Jersey; judges can now send offending teens to education programs instead of prison.
Even Texas, a state not known for being soft on crime, made some changes to their sex crimes laws in order to reflect modern technology.
Clearly, the rise of teen sexting is a problem. It is certainly poor judgment and should not be handled lightly. But, should courts treat teens who commit this dumb act the same way they treat child pornographers?
What do you think? Should teen sexting be decriminalized? Or should the law remain -- one strike and you're out?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
3-17-2011 @ 10:18AM
SirGalton said...Well, I think teens need to realize sexting is a serious matter and the parents should also realize that their child having a cell phone is not a right, it's a privilege. As far as the sex offender list goes, I think it is a joke and needs to be completely revamped or thrown out. In most cases the list serves no purpose, especially if an individual is homeless, which many sex offenders are. If there are concerns that this sex offender will commit further offenses, then states need to adopt Civil Confinement as New York did, by continuing to confine perpetrators after their sentence is served, as they are deemed by a court to be a danger to themselves or to society
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