Defendants convicted of child pornography offenses will be required to pay restitution to their victims under a newly amended Virginia law.
The provision, which the General Assembly added during its last session, requires an unspecified amount of mandatory restitution to be paid to the victims portrayed in the still images and videos that a defendant created, possessed or distributed. The language modified in HB 1995 went into effect on Friday.
“It’s a victory for victims,” said Louisa County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Rusty McGuire.
McGuire, along with Louisa Commonwealth’s Attorney and state Senate hopeful Tom Garrett, came forward a year ago to support victim notification and mandatory restitution. At the time, a few victims of widely distributed child pornography had begun seeking restitution in federal courts across the country.
Camille Cooper, director of legislative affairs for the child protection lobby PROTECT, worked with the prosecutors on the bill. She said she hopes that financial sanctions will deter people from using child pornography.
4 comments:
Has Jail time and or Death Row stop any crime NO..it has not, and has the Sex Offender Registry stopped CRIME ?? NO , so how do they feel this will stop crime or was thus just a another feel good lkaw to shove in peoples faces come election time..
Mack -
I don't think that it's about deterrence. As the article noted, many victims were seeking restitution through the federal civil docket. This law simply allows them to receive restitution as part of the criminal process and ends the need to hire a lawyer and go through a civil case.
Mack,
Tell us all about any death row repeat offenders.
I think once they're fried, the're not going to commit any more crimes.
I agree however, that this is just another feel good law.
If laws truly had teeth, crime would drop.
My feelings is that HOW many are on death row and WE STILL have how many killings a YEAR in Maryland alone.....so if the death row was a cure all Murder rates would be zero..WE need real Laws in this country and NOT FEEL good LAWS that does nothing to STOP crime and just help at election time..WAKE UP AMERICA
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