Senate Advances Lampitt, Riley, Vainieri Huttle Bill to Address Teen Cell Phone 'Sexting'

(Trenton) - Juveniles caught sending sexually explicit photographs via their cell phones would not face criminal prosecution but rather intense education on the ramifications under a bill sponsored by Assemblywomen Pamela Lampitt, Celeste Riley and Valerie Vainieri Huttle and advanced by a Senate Panel on Monday.

The measure was approved 78-0 by the full Assembly in March and cleared the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee today. It now heads to the full Senate for final legislative approval.

The measure (A-1561) aims to curtail a practice known popularly as "sexting," a problem that has increasingly perplexed parents, school administrators and law enforcement officials because of ambiguities in child pornography laws. Prosecutors in several states have even charged teenagers with criminal offenses, including distribution of child pornography.

"Teens need to understand the ramifications of their actions, but they shouldn't necessarily be treated as criminals," said Lampitt (D-Camden). "We need to create a path that places education and forgiveness before arrest and prosecution. Young people - especially teen girls - need to understand that sending inappropriate pictures is not only potentially illegal, but can leave an indelible mark on them socially and educationally."

According to a 2008 survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, roughly one-in-five teens - including 11 percent of girls aged 13 to 16 - have sent a nude or semi-nude picture or video of themselves to friends or posted one on a Web site.

"Educating young people and getting them to change their behavior must be our focus," said Riley (D-Salem/Cumberland/Gloucester). "Those conversations need to happen between a parent and child and among peers. These measures can spark those conversations or, in the worst case, ensure that kids who do make a mistake don't pay for it in court."

The measure would create an educational program as an alternative to prosecution for juveniles who otherwise could be charged with a criminal offense for posting or sending sexually suggestive or sexually explicit photographs. Participants would learn about the potential state and federal level consequences and penalties for sexting as well as its personal costs - including the effect on relationships, its impact on school life and the loss of future employment opportunities. County prosecutors would determine who could be admitted into the program and juveniles who successfully complete it would avoid trial.

"This has become a growing problem because technology has changed so rapidly, making it hard for parents to keep up and for teens to understand the ramifications of this behavior," said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). "This bill creates a nuanced approach to the issue, one that recognizes that kids will do foolish things while also creating a serious mechanism to address the problem."