https://www.nsvrc.org/blogs/decisions-rethink-sex-offender-laws-when-applied-adolescents
Mar 22, 2010
Dear Engaged Bystander: The front page of the Sunday NY Times had a story titled “Rethinking Sex Offender Laws for Youths Showing Off Online.” There is so much to say on this issue.
First, it never makes sense to apply laws developed for adults directly onto adolescents and children. The reasons an adult downloads or creates child pornography are dramatically different from the reasons that children or teenagers send pictures of themselves to others. Many others, much more eloquent than I will be able to talk about the reasons that the juvenile justice system was developed in the first place