California Attorney General's Advisory Committee on Obscenity and Pornography - Report to the Attorney General on Child Pornography in California

• NCJ Number: 78429
• Author(s): A E Smith; A J Knudson
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 29 pages
• Corporate Author: California Office of the Attorney General
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Report done by the Attorney General's Advisory Committee on Obscenity and Pornography.

Annotation

Based on data supplied by California's law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies, this 1977 report describes the sale and distribution of child pornography, prosecutions of persons involved in these activities, the numbers of children involved, and recommendations to combat the problem.

Abstract

A survey of 17 California counties which included all major population centers indicated that pornographic films, magazines, and still photographs depicting juvenile boys and girls were readily available in approximately 280 retail adult bookstores and arcades. Law enforcement, public pressure, and publicity has resulted in most child materials being removed from the shelves in recent months, but investigators believe that these items can still be purchased in a clandestine manner. Mail order is now the primary means of distributing child pornography, with at least 16 such distributors in the State. Names are changed frequently and mailing lists purged so that they contain only those persons who buy materials. Since January 1977, 15 of the 21 case files in California accusing defendants of distributing obscene materials have involved child pornography. The Attorney General's investigating committee encountered problems in determining the number of personnel assigned to child pornography matters since most jurisdictions do not assign staff to these cases on a full-time basis. Although an accurate assessment of the number of California children who have been victims of this kind of sexual exploitation is impossible, even conservative estimates are alarmingly high. The Los Angeles police have calculated that as many as 30,000 juveniles are sexually exploited annually in that city and that more than 3,000 of this group are under 14 years old. Data collection is hindered by the large numbers of cases that are unreported, recent increases in runaways migrating to California, and evidence indicating that parents use their own children to produce pornography. Police investigations suggest a direct relationship between child pornography and molestation of young children. The report makes several recommendations aimed at protecting minors from sexual exploitation, including new legislation, expanded investigative and enforcement activities, training programs for all agencies serving juveniles, and an awareness program for parents and the general public. (Author abstract modified)