Legislative Wins Against Internet Predators
Yesterday I posted two stories of pimps going digital and looking for girls and clients online. I guess that could have technically qualified as Wacky Internet Predator Wednesday pieces… maybe I should have saved them because for some reason – I have nothing to report this week. There must be a lull in the arrests… you can be certain the creeps didn’t take the week off.
So, if I don’t have predator stories to post, I guess stories on laws pertaining to them are the next best thing. I came across both of them a while ago, but they are both still good news:
- In Alabama, the House passed a bill making it easier to stop Internet predators
- In New Jersey, an assembly committee unanimously approved a 10-bill package that would give police better tools to investigate internet crimes against children and toughen penalties for the offenders.
As always, I must point out that while these laws are great for officers to use in and after investigations, we can’t police our way out of the situation. Parents need to start doing their job at home to ensure the safety of their kids. That means monitoring internet activity and computer usage. While you can’t be over your kids’ shoulder every time they are online, it’s your responsibility to know what they are doing. Computer monitoring software like our PC Pandora can help in a big way by always letting you know what your kids are doing when they go online and who they are talking to.
Here are the two stories…
February 24, 2009
House votes to get tough on computer predatorsMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The Alabama House has passed two bills aimed at making it easier for law enforcement officers to stop sexual predators who use the computer to lure young victims.
The House voted 84-0 for a bill that says a person can be charged with using the computer to lure a child for the purpose of sexual relations, even if the victim is actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
The sponsor, Rep. Steve McMillan, said the bill would close a loophole that has caused charges to be dropped in some cases. McMillan is a Republican from Gulf Shores.
The House also voted to 96-0 for another bill that allows police to confiscate computers and other electronic equipment used to lure a child for sexual purposes.
February 27, 2009
Action in Trenton: Committee clears bills to stop online predatorsAn Assembly committee unanimously approved a 10-bill package yesterday that would give police better tools to investigate internet crimes against children and toughen penalties for the offenders.
People who electronically communicate with children in a harassing and sexually abusive manner would face longer prison sentences, according to the legislation (A3754-63). The bills also make it easier for law enforcement officers to intercept electronic communications from a suspect’s computer.
“Law enforcement needs every available tool at its disposal to en sure the safety of our children when they venture on-line,” Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), one of the bill’s 14 sponsors, said. “This comprehensive package will provide police with the ability to go after online predators before they even have a chance to victimize a child.”
The legislation also creates a computer crime prevention fund, supported by fines imposed for violating the law.
