Reply #8: All for discretion (with multiple meanings) [View All]

[Spike89]

I hate the knee-jerk mandatory sentencing laws that seem to be what every advocacy group wants to attach to "their" pet crime. Judges aren't perfect, but they are a much better solution than a one-size-fits-all law that simply will never be just. Underage sexters should be treated as juvies and borderline cases should have a judge's discretion. There's a huge difference between a 17-year-old sending a naughty photo and some porn lord distributing/selling pictures of young kids. Mandatory laws that treat them the same means that a) the 17-year-old has their life ruined by a relatively trivial misjudgment or b) the 17-year-old doesn't get the warning/correction they may need because authorities can't act without draconian consequences.