Minor in possession of child pornography

What is the name of your state? Indiana

All computers at my 16 yr old stepson's home have been seized. They say he has been downloading child pornography for a year. He is a good student and kid - never in trouble - always on the computer w/o parental supervision. What can we expect? Will he be taken to the juvenile center? Will this be expunged when he is 18 if he stays out of trouble? How are these cases usually handled. I appreciate any information as his father is devastated.

jleep said:

What is the name of your state? Indiana

All computers at my 16 yr old stepson's home have been seized. They say he has been downloading child pornography for a year. He is a good student and kid - never in trouble

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Why is it that everyone has to post that someone is a good student or a good kid or a good person after they provide the fact that they have been charged with a bad crime? Committing crime, especially one involving child pornography, is not listed in any definition I can find for what makes a good kid

always on the computer w/o parental supervision.

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Not a defense, only an indication of irresponsible parents who don't properly supervise their children or monitor their activity.

What can we expect? Will he be taken to the juvenile center? Will this be expunged when he is 18 if he stays out of trouble? How are these cases usually handled. I appreciate any information as his father is devastated.

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You can expect this situation to be taken very seriously by the authorities. It is a very disturbing thing to discover a fifteen year old spends his free time searching for and downloading child pornography. This is certainly not normal behavior for a teen aged child to be participating in. You and his father should be concerned with his mental state and his potential for carrying out whatever fantasies have led him in this direction and obviously, get him into therapy immediately!
I also question the fact that all computers in the home were seized. Are you saying he was doing this from numerous computers? If so, I would be concerned with the possibility that someone else may be involved in this strange behavior as well. If he was doing this on a computer that was also used by other family members, I don't know how they wouldn't become aware of it over a year's time span.
What does the boy have to say about this activity?

This is certainly not normal behavior for a teen aged child to be participating in. You and his father should be concerned with his mental state and his potential for carrying out whatever fantasies have led him in this direction and obviously, get him into therapy immediately!

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There are a few cases being proscecuted for possession of child pornography right now where a teenager has naked pictures of his same-age girlfriend. If a teen aged child were 16 and was looking for pictures of naked 16 year old girls on the internet it's hardly a call for intensive therapy. Maybe if he weren't looking to possess such things, but not if he were. Child pornography has many faces.

If we're talking about true children in sexual situations that have been downloaded for a year, that's one thing. If it is near age girls or a few instances of a very young girl in a time or two that's something else. It is impossible to know how a juvenille will be treated without knowing all the facts. The court will look at the issues involved and try to make a determination.

Get an attorney. Love your son. Get therapy if you think it is needed.

Thank you

Thank you, tranquility. We know only what the step-mother has told us. She has a VERY different parenting style than we.

I believe ALL kids are good kids who can make BIG mistakes or need BIG help. He is going to counseling tomorrow - Mom has been told to do this, and include Dad (NOW she wants Dad in the picture!).

I appreciate your advice to love him - told his Dad that needs to be the first thing he says. I appreciate your compassion and advice.

jleep said:

Thank you, tranquility. We know only what the step-mother has told us. She has a VERY different parenting style than we.

I believe ALL kids are good kids who can make BIG mistakes or need BIG help. He is going to counseling tomorrow - Mom has been told to do this, and include Dad (NOW she wants Dad in the picture!).

I appreciate your advice to love him - told his Dad that needs to be the first thing he says. I appreciate your compassion and advice.

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Well, NOW I'm confused. This is your stepson. So if he's living with Mom, you're apparently living with Dad. How does step-mother fit into the picture? Isn't that *you*?

Oops

I am the step-mother. I mis-typed.

I spoke with someone who said the prosecutor may seek to remove the children (there is another child) due to her negligence. I wonder if that is a possibility ...

Yes Mary... they may consider clearing the house of other children.


That said... This sort of story is why I have inacted a 3 strikes and you're out policy in my home.
1. Kid14 had internet access in thier room and I found porn site visits.
2.Then found internet dating site where it was falsly implied that kid was >18.
2.5 Then a foul tip when personal information online (full name, DOB, school, organized activities) and
3. final swing was P2P network shareware on MY cpu with illegal downloads.

All of these were discussed before and after infractions... several times.

Now kid doesn't have internet at all and if schoolwork requires it... a trip to the library is in order. This will change when kid moves out. Not a second before.