This city really is the hotbed of breaking news! Child porn lovers beware, the stakes just go higher for your despicable craft. Our lawmakers downtown voted to make possession of child porn a felony. It used to be a misdemeanor and only carried a $2,500 fine and two years in jail. Besides being a felony now, it is also mandatory for sex offenders to have their pictures taken more frequently and to have their online screen names registered with the local authorities.
So whom does this law affect? Well I am sure all of you would be very surprised. A website called Family Watchdog allows you to search sex offenders by state, city, zip, and street name. In the 21401 zip code alone we have 57 offenders with at least 15 convicted of child-related crimes. Scary huh? I do believe in second chances, but the stigma surrounding child porn is so strong I am not sure if its something we will someday be able to sweep under a rug.
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