Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox recently threw support behind legislation intended to place tighter restrictions and more severe penalties on convicted Internet sex offenders. In August, lawmakers introduced three bills intended to fill in perceived gaps in Michigan's sex offender laws.
* The first bans registered Internet sex predators from social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and Craigslist -- violations would result in felony charges.
* The second mandates that Internet child predators be catalogued in the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. A current hole in the system does not require Internet offenders to be registered -- this loophole was one of the influencing factors behind all three bills.
* The final bill would increase sentencing for possession and distribution of child pornography online.
Cox and other bill supporters cited arrests over the past few years to illustrate the vulnerability of children online. With so many social networks, community boards and instant messenger services, lawmakers are looking to address a problem that is only likely to increase with time.
While the second two bills seem fairly reasonable, given the loophole they seek to fill, the proposed social networking ban has raised eyebrows across Michigan.
There are worries that, if passed, the law could more easily be extended into other areas -- such as banning all convicted felons from participating in online communities. Others see it as a complete disregard for personal liberties, even in the case of a people who are convicted of Internet sex crimes.
There is also some question to as to whether "social networking site" is too vague a definition for banned Web sites. Even if the bills pass both the house and senate and are signed into law -- some feel that the issue will require further clarification down the line to be truly effective.
Still, others feel that the general area of Internet sex crimes is still to hazy to pass such heavy restrictions. When is the line crossed and how is that line defined? Outside of soliciting, some argue that child pornography can be accidently accessed during the course of otherwise legal activities.
While the proposed legislation is certainly an attempt to reach in and provide some clarity in a somewhat opaque legal area, it seems obvious that the issue is nowhere near settled. Critics of the Attorney General have claimed the bill endorsements are nothing but a loud attempt to garner public support before a 2010 run for governor.
Still, these proposed bills are in keeping with past initiatives backed by the Attorney General, including the Michigan Cyber Safety Initiative. Michigan's "CSI" program is a recent program, meant to educate children from kindergarten through eighth grade on potential online dangers and safe practices. To date, some 400,000 Michigan schoolchildren have participated in the program.
A. Scott Grabel & Associates
The Michigan sex crime lawyer of A. Scott Grabel & Associates has the experience, knowledge, and resources to vigorously defend those individuals accused of and/or charged with sex crimes offenses throughout the entire State of Michigan. Our attorneys take a proactive approach in defending against sex offense prosecutions because it is often the case that these charges are able to be completely dismissed or greatly reduced. The lawyers at Grabel & Associates are committed to providing the most aggressive and effective defense to an individual's sex crime charges and devotes their entire practice exclusively to criminal defense in the State of Michigan.
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