|
|
 |
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
 |
Springfield News-Sun
Sexting and
teens: Ohio looks to set up diversion program as problem grows
Sexting bill would require courts to set up juvenile diversion program
By Laura A. Bischoff
September 24, 2017
Columbus — Sexting is rampant among teens, putting them at risk for
criminal charges, school expulsion and images of their privates being
displayed and shared in the digital world.
The behavior is so common that Montgomery and Clark counties set up
diversion program for young offenders.
State Reps. Jeff Rezabek, R-Clayton, and Brian Hill, R-Zanesville,
introduced a bill in the Ohio House to ban sexting by anyone under age
21 and require courts to set up diversion programs similar to the one
in Montgomery County.
The bill would require that the diversion programs cover legal
consequences, potential sanctions such as school discipline or the loss
of job opportunities, the effect on relationships, the potential for
bullying and how the searchability and infinite audience online can
produce long-term consequences.
The bill would allow courts to use existing programs, such as
Montgomery County, and prosecutors would retain the discretion to
criminally charge first-time offenders when deemed appropriate.
“This generation — a lot of pictures taken and videos recorded,” said
Rezabek. “It seems it’s always a young girl sending a picture to a
young boy, who then sends it to his buddies.”
That scenario played out four years ago in Oakwood with a high school
freshman who ended up spending several Saturdays, attending classes in
the Montgomery County diversion program. His mother praises the program
as a second-chance for kids who make mistakes and an opportunity for
them to learn about the law and consequences to their behavior.
“They just don’t understand the gravity of things and only have a vague
understanding of law,” the mother said, speaking on the condition of
anonymity to protect her son’s privacy.
This generation of teens and young adults constantly share candid — and
sometimes sexually explicit — photos without an awareness of the
long-term ramifications, the mother said. “It’s this dangerous
juxtaposition: the bubble of obliviousness and they’re starting to
change, they’re going through puberty.”
Sexting is the creation, sending, receiving or showing of
sexually-oriented content via cell phone, email, social media or other
online sources. It is legal among consenting adults, as long as
elements of coercion aren’t part of it, Rezabek said.
Read this and other articles at the Springfield News-Sun
|
|
|
|
