I think it's pretty easy to tell if someone hasn't hit puberty yet just by looking at them. I assume you are talking about teenagers.

its a market, there are plenty of adult actresses who make big money precisely because you CANT Tell,,,

Plenty? Name two adult actresses with the body of a 10 year old.

Not knowing a minor is underage is not a defense when you have sex with them. They can even lie to you and you will still be charged with statutory rape if you have sex with them. It's the adult's responsibility to be sure.

I agree.

My concern is with making things equal that are not equal. Pulling a gun is not the same as shooting someone. Shooting someone is not the same as FATALLY shooting someone. Watching child porn is not the same as MAKING child porn.

I think making them equal kind of removes deterrents and creates more of a problem than it solves.

IF I would get the same for shooting someone as I would just for pulling the gun, I may as well shoot them.

Likewise, IF I Will get the same treatment for watching a porn as I will for creating it, why shouldnt I just go snatch up a child and make my own?

we should be careful not to legislate out of emotion, all crimes are not and should not be treated as equal. There are degrees of harm and that is something to always be considered.

The one DIRECTLY harming someone should always be prosecuted more harshly than anyone else (unless under duress).

Actually, we are a bit off topic here. The question here isn't whether there are adult actresses playing children. The question is what the penalty should be for adults being in possession of child pornography.

If my friend and I rob a bank and my friend shoots and kills someone, I am also guilty of first degree murder. Even though I didn't have a gun or intend to kill anyone. However, my decision to be involved in this crime makes me equally guilty. I believe the same applies to those who purchase/possess child pornography. That's my opinion.

Because that takes a lot of effort. If it were easy enough, most pedophiles would.

that is different, having SEX is an action that involves another person. It is possible to verify information about a person when t he person is PRESENT. Much more difficult to see it in a movie, with effects, make up, lighting,,,etc,,,

no way to know that,,,

many people tend to their fantasies through porn, instead of acting upon them

You keep defending those who are actually NOT in possession of child porn. We are talking about those who are.

It was you who suggested that they would if the penalty was the same.

I am in no way 'defending' any type of porn or possession of porn.

I am debating the merit of putting possession on the exact same legal level of responsibility as creation.

The point you keep making is that the punishment should be different because the person in possession might not have known it was child porn.

I'm saying that it is their responsibilty to be sure. If they are not sure, don't possess it.

If I'm not mistaken, the porn is supposed to come with a label stating all actors are over 18. So, that should make it pretty easy for the puchaser to decide what to buy and what not to buy.

they would. Much like people when they smoke cigarettes and then give it up, they REPLACE it with some other action (often eating).

or when people who normally like women, go to jail, where there are only men, ,,,their access to their source of fulfillment changes, and they just find another source,,,


it is similar with many who call adult lines or use adult porn, it fulfills in them some hidden fantasy,,, if you say to them that they will suffer the same consequence by fulfilling the fantasy for real,,,,

plenty of them would have no 'boundary' at all to keep them from doing so,,, as it stands , watching it is NOT treated the same as doing it,,, I think it should stay that way

professional studios who wish to keep their license adhere to such laws,, not all porn is made or distributed by a professional studio,,,

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to say it's okay for someone to watch child porn (where a real child was abused) to keep them from abusing children.

Right! So, if you buy porn like that, you run the risk of being in possession of child porn and you deserve the punishment. Which I believe should be harsher than you think it should be.

I really have no stand on how 'harsh' the penalty should be for being in possession. I just believe that it should fall under 'possession' penalties, instead of 'production' penalties

and those two types should never be strictly identical, in my opinion,,,