Criminal Defense Lawyers

Colorado Springs Child Pornography Sentencing Guidelines

Federal Child Pornography Sentencing Guidelines: An In-Depth Analysis

Child pornography is an incredibly serious offense that causes immense harm. However, the current federal sentencing guidelines for non-production child pornography offenses have faced growing criticism in recent years for being excessively severe, inconsistently applied, and disconnected from empirical evidence on offender risk and recidivism. This article provides an in-depth look at the complex, evolving landscape of federal child pornography sentencing.

Background on Federal Sentencing Guidelines

The United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines are rules that set out a standardized sentencing policy for individuals and organizations convicted of federal crimes in the United States. The guidelines provide a complex quantitative system based on various factors that aim to increase sentencing uniformity across federal courts. They were originally mandatory, but in United States v. Booker, the Supreme Court ruled that they are advisory.Federal judges are still required to properly calculate and consider the guidelines when determining a sentence. However, they also have discretion to issue sentences outside the recommended ranges based on case specifics and other statutory concerns. As a result, the actual sentence imposed can vary significantly from the guidelines.

History of Child Pornography Sentencing Guidelines

Congress has aggressively increased penalties for child pornography offenses nine times between 1987-2009 through various legislation, directing the United States Sentencing Commission to amend the guidelines accordingly.Initially, simple possession carried 0-6 months imprisonment, but the statutory maximum is now 20 years. Sentences for receipt or distribution of child pornography now carry 5-20 years imprisonment.As a result, the average sentence length has steadily climbed from 20.59 months in 1997 to 118 months in 2010. This represents over a 500% increase in less than 15 years.

Key Problems with §2G2.2 Guideline for Child Pornography

The main sentencing guideline for federal child pornography offenses is §2G2.2. It covers possession, receipt, and distribution.However, §2G2.2 has faced growing criticism that it fails to differentiate between more or less severe offenses and offenders. Instead, it uses expansive enhancements that apply to the vast majority of offenders, routinely generating high guideline ranges:

• Over 95% of child pornography offenders receive an image enhancement
• Over 80% receive a computer enhancement
• Over 80% receive a video enhancement
• Over 80% have over 600 images

As a result, the average guideline minimum sentence has climbed from 98 months in 2004 to 151 months in 2019. However, judges are increasingly issuing below-guideline sentences, causing major inconsistencies.In one statistical analysis, sentences for 119 possession offenders ranged from probation to 228 months, while sentences for 52 receipt offenders ranged from 37-180 months.Critics argue §2G2.2 is fundamentally flawed for:

• Failing to differentiate offense/offender severity
• Imposing excessive punishments
• Lacking empirical basis connecting the guidelines to public safety, recidivism risk, or offender characteristics

Judicial Discretion and Sentencing Variations

In response to the problems with §2G2.2, federal judges have increasingly exercised their Booker discretion to issue below-guideline sentences for child pornography offenses:

• In 2019, only 30% of child pornography sentences fell within the calculated guideline range, down from 62% in 2004
• Average sentences have declined slightly despite guideline ranges continuing to rise

However, this has also led to major inconsistencies, with some courts issuing sentences well below the guidelines while others adhere strictly to them for similar offenders. Geographic disparities are also evident, with courts in some circuits far more likely to issue below-range sentences.This essentially means the luck of the draw in terms of prosecutorial discretion and judicial sentencing philosophy plays a huge role in determining the actual punishment.

Case Comparison Examples

To illustrate the inconsistencies, consider two real cases:

• A 19 year old received 5 years probation despite pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography
• A 70 year old with no criminal history received 10 years imprisonment for simple possession

Both involved 600-1200 images. But prosecutor charging decisions and judicial sentencing discretion resulted in vastly different outcomes.

Main Factors Considered in Sentencing

In determining appropriate sentences, key factors judges consider include:

• Content: Nature of images/videos possessed (e.g. sadism, infants)
• Conduct: Evidence of sexually exploitative behavior
• Community: Risk to public safety based on recidivism

However, §2G2.2 is seen as failing to properly account for these factors. As a result, courts increasingly make sentencing decisions based more on case specifics rather than the guidelines.

Proposed Reforms

Many experts argue §2G2.2 needs significant reforms, including:

• Better differentiating offense conduct based on image content
• Eliminating excessive enhancements
• Basing presumptive sentences on empirical data connecting guidelines to public safety, recidivism risk, and offender characteristics
• Providing judges with greater discretion to account for case specifics

Potential changes could help address inconsistencies and better align sentences with underlying offense severity.

Recidivism and Public Safety Debate

Appropriate sentencing also depends significantly on issues like risk of recidivism and danger to public safety. However, research paints a complex picture.While some studies suggest less than 5% of child pornography offenders commit a new sexual offense, others argue the rate is higher. Strong evidence exists that dual offenders who commit both child pornography and hands-on offenses have a high recidivism risk. However, recidivism rates for child pornography possession alone are less clear.Critics of current sentencing policy argue that guidelines are disconnected from empirical evidence on offender risk profiles. However, others contend tough sentences are warranted given the severity of the crime and potential danger even possession-only offenders may pose.

Conclusion

The sentencing landscape for federal child pornography crimes has faced growing criticism on various fronts. However, there are no easy policy solutions given the severity of the offense.Reforming sentencing guidelines could help better align punishments to underlying offense conduct and risk factors. But doing so also risks going too far towards leniency given the immense harm caused by child sexual exploitation.Appropriate sentencing ultimately depends on balancing different factors case-by-case, including offense severity, offender characteristics, and potential public safety risks. Finding the right balance remains a complex challenge with compelling arguments on both sides. However, taking a more empirical, evidence-based approach could help move sentencing policy in a better direction.

Resources

For more information, check out the following additional resources:

• In-Depth Statistical Analysis of Child Pornography Sentencing Inconsistencies
• Summary of Main Criticisms of §2G2.2 Guideline
• Academic Proposal for Reforming Child Pornography Guidelines
• Analysis of Recidivism Risks and Data Problems
• Video Explaining Federal Sentencing and Guidelines