NCJ Number
154567
Date Published
1994
Length
32 pages
Annotation
After analyzing laws in eight Midwestern States that address various types of child sexual abuse and exploitation, this study offers recommendations for law reform designed to improve the protection from sexual exploitation afforded children.
Abstract
The eight States are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The first broad area of law considered addresses child pornography and related offenses. The topics considered in existing legislation and for which legislative reform is recommended are age of protection, prohibited child pornography activities, the definition of child pornography, parental and guardian complicity, defenses and evidentiary considerations in child pornography prosecutions, the forfeiture of proceeds earned in child pornography activities, mandatory reporting for commercial film processors, mandatory reporting under child abuse laws of suspected child pornography activities, and penalties for violation of child pornography statutes. The second broad category of law considered pertains to juvenile prostitution. This report considers existing law and recommends legislative reform in the areas of comprehensive statutes that address juvenile prostitution, the age of protection/juvenile prostitute as criminal, definition of prostitution, defenses and evidentiary considerations in prosecutions for violations of juvenile prostitution statutes, and penalties for violation of juvenile prostitution statutes. The third broad area of law considered for reform focuses on criminal sex offenses against children. Topics considered are the age of protection for prohibited sexual conduct, definitions of prohibited sexual conduct, incest/parental-guardian complicity, statutory defenses and evidentiary considerations in prosecutions for violations of criminal sex offenses that involve children, mandatory reporting, registration of sex offenders, HIV testing and sex offenders, and penalties.