Feb 7, 2007 - West Virginia police want more tools to apprehend child pornographers, including a more inclusive definition of pornography. Newspaper editorializes against.
Parents and guardians, simply by monitoring their children’s use of the Internet, cell phones and other electronic devices, are — by far — the most effective people in catching predators. It is a message that needs to be reinforced — and heeded.They write: "It certainly would do no harm for legislators to revisit state law and — if possible without running afoul of the courts — tighten it. It also would be a good idea for legislators to do what they can to help police in other regards, such as those involving subpoena powers. But police are not and should not be the first line of defense against predators. Parents, teachers and other adults need to fill that role."
TT - Our view is that the Federal government, working with state and local communities, is doing a fantastic job of apprehending pornographers. Federal courts impose the maximum sentence when child pornography customers are found guilty. It's a strong deterrent. The rest of their advice is sound. We just wish their warning included a warning against teachers who prey on students - like the teacher cited in their article.
