June 9, 2014

Possession of Child Pornography – Proposed Study Options –

VIRGINIA CRIMINAL

SENTENCING COMMISSION

House Bill 504 and Senate Bill 433

2014 General Assembly

2

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Delay proposed modifications to the discretionary sentencing

guidelines; possession of child pornography. Provides that

proposed modifications to the discretionary sentencing guidelines

for possession of child pornography adopted by the Virginia

Criminal Sentencing Commission shall not become effective until

July 1, 2016. The Commission will review these guidelines and

complete its review by December 1, 2015. Any proposed

modification in the Commission's 2015 Annual Report shall

supersede the current proposed modifications.

Option 1 (Presented at April 14, 2014 meeting)

Use entire data collection instrument

Travel to Circuit Court Clerks’ and Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ offices to gather data from files

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 2

Use pared-down data collection instrument

Limit travel to localities with more than 10 cases

For remaining localities, ask Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ Offices to complete pared-down form

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 3

Add FY2014 data to the analysis and retest proposed

changes presented in 2013 Annual Report

Proposed Study Options

3

Option 1 (Presented at April 14, 2014 meeting)

Use entire data collection instrument

Travel to Circuit Court Clerks’ and Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ offices to gather data from files

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 2

Use pared-down data collection instrument

Limit travel to localities with more than 10 cases

For remaining localities, ask Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ Offices to complete pared-down form

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 3

Add FY2014 data to the analysis and retest proposed

changes presented in 2013 Annual Report

Proposed Study Options

4

2014 Child Pornography Study

DCN

_______________

Offe

nder N

am

e _

___________________

Offen

der/S

ub

ject Ch

aracteristics

Offen

der/V

ictim C

haracteristics

A.

Age o

f Youngest M

inor S

ubje

ct: ______ (9

9 =

Unk.)

B.

Age G

roup (C

heck

All T

hat A

pply

): 1.

Under 1

(Infa

nt)

2.

1-3

(Toddle

r) 3.

4-5

(Pre

-Sch

ool)

4.

6-9

(Ele

menta

ry S

chool)

5.

10-1

2 (M

iddle

Sch

ool)

6.

13-1

7 (T

eenage)

9.

Unknow

n

C.

Child

Type

1.

Pre

pubesce

nt (P

rior to

puberty

)

2.

Post p

ubesce

nt

3.

Min

or –

gro

up u

nknow

n

D

. Alte

red A

ny Im

age to

Cre

ate

/Enhance

Child

Porn

?

1.

Yes

2.

No

9.

Unknow

n

E.

Age o

f Old

est M

inor S

ubje

ct: ______ (9

9 =

Unk.)

F.

Gender(s) o

f Min

or S

ubje

ct(s) Depicte

d:

1.

Male

2.

Fem

ale

3.

Both

9.

Unknow

n

G.

Num

ber o

f Diffe

rent S

ubje

cts: ________

(999 =

Unknow

n)

H.

Subje

ct Type:

1.

Identifie

d (b

y la

w e

nfo

rcem

ent) su

bje

ct(s) 2.

Anonym

ous su

bje

ct(s)

3.

Both

identifie

d a

nd a

nonym

ous su

bje

cts I.

Subje

ct’s Rela

tionsh

ip w

ith O

ffender:

1.

None

2.

Babysitte

r

3.

Pare

nt

4.

Ste

p-p

are

nt

5.

Gra

ndpare

nt/ste

p-g

randpare

nt

6.

Sib

ling/ste

p-sib

ling

7.

Uncle

/Aunt

8.

Cousin

9.

Oth

er R

ela

tive

10. C

oach

11. T

each

er/co

unse

lor

12. Y

outh

leader

13. C

lerg

y

14. S

ignifica

nt o

ther

15. E

x-sig

nifica

nt o

ther

16. O

ther p

ositio

n o

f trust

17. O

ther re

latio

nsh

ip

99. U

nknow

n

J. D

rug/A

lcohol U

se (A

t Tim

e o

f Reco

rdin

g o

r Pro

ductio

n o

f Any Im

age)

1.

None

2.

Offe

nder u

sed

3.

Victim

use

d

4.

Both

use

d

9.

Unknow

n

K.

Offe

nder p

rovid

ed D

rugs/A

lcohol to

Subje

ct (At

Tim

e o

f Reco

rdin

g o

r Pro

ductio

n o

f Any Im

age)

1.

Yes

2.

No

9.

Unknow

n

L.

Substa

nce

s Use

d b

y S

ubje

ct: ____ _

___ _

__

(See C

odes B

elo

w)

M.

Substa

nce

s Use

d b

y O

ffender: _

___ _

___ _

__

(See C

odes B

elo

w)

N.

Any S

ubje

ct Menta

lly o

r Physica

lly In

capacita

ted?

1.

Yes –

menta

lly in

capacita

ted

2.

Yes –

physica

lly in

capacita

ted

3.

Yes –

both

4.

No

9.

Unknow

n

O.

Em

plo

ym

ent P

rovid

es (o

r Offe

nder H

as) A

ccess to

M

inors a

t Tim

e o

f Offe

nse

?

1.

Yes

2.

No

9.

Unknow

n

P.

Use

of M

ate

rial to

“Gro

om

” Min

ors?

1.

Yes

2.

No

9.

Unknow

n

Q.

Offe

nder P

sych

ose

xual A

ssessm

ent D

one?

1.

Yes

2.

No

9.

Unknow

n

R.

If Psy

chose

xual A

ssessm

ent D

one, R

isk L

evel?

1.

Low

2.

Mediu

m

3.

Hig

h

9.

Unknow

n

S.

Offe

nder a

Registe

red S

ex O

ffender (a

t time o

f

offe

nse

)?

1.

Yes

2.

No

9.

Unknow

n

Codes fo

r Substa

nce

s Use

d/G

iven:

0

None

5 M

eth

am

pheta

min

e 1

0 O

ther

1

Alco

hol

6 E

cstasy

9

9 M

issing

2

Tobacco

7 H

ero

in

3

Mariju

ana

8 O

ther S

chedule

I/II dru

g

4

Coca

ine

9 P

rescrip

tion d

rug

5

MeEcsta

sy

6

Oth

er S

chedule

I/II

Con

tent/C

ollectin

g B

ehavio

r

T.

How

Was C

hild

Porn

Initia

lly D

iscovere

d?

1.

Durin

g S

ting –

Onlin

e S

olicita

tion o

r Child

Porn

Investig

atio

n

2.

Reporte

d

3.

Com

pute

r/Phone/D

evice

Repair o

r Resa

le

4.

Sex/C

hild

Abuse

Case

5.

Develo

pin

g P

icture

6.

Sent E

-mail/W

eb

7.

Cell p

hone/S

mart p

hone

8.

Oth

er m

eans

9.

Unknow

n

U.

Num

ber o

f Still Im

ages: _

_______ (9

999 =

Unk.)

V.

Num

ber o

f Vid

eos: _

_______ (9

999 =

Unk.)

If Yes, L

ongest L

ength

? ________

W.

Types o

f Sex C

onduct D

epicte

d (C

heck

All th

at A

pply

) 1.

Genita

ls/exposu

re

2.

Mastu

rbatio

n

3.

Ora

l penetra

tion (o

r atte

mpt)

4.

Anal p

enetra

tion (o

r atte

mpt)

5.

Sexual in

terco

urse

(or a

ttem

pt)

6.

Conta

ct betw

een a

dult a

nd m

inor

7.

Conta

ct betw

een m

inors

8.

Physica

lly v

iole

nt (in

cl. sadism

/maso

chism

)

9.

Bondage

10. U

rinatio

n/d

efe

catio

n

11. B

estia

lity

12. D

efe

ndant a

ppeare

d in

child

porn

99. U

nknow

n

X.

Defe

ndant P

roduce

d C

hild

Porn

?

1.

No

2.

Yes

9.

Unknow

n

Y.

Defe

ndant D

istribute

d/R

etra

nsm

itted C

hild

Porn

?

1.

No

2.

Thro

ugh P

eer-to

-Peer (P

2P) F

ile-S

harin

g

Pro

gra

ms

3.

Thro

ugh C

hild

Porn

“Onlin

e C

om

munitie

s” 4.

Oth

er M

eans

9.

Unknow

n

Z.

Offe

nder P

oste

d M

ate

rial to

Inte

rnet?

1.

No

2.

Yes –

if so, th

en list w

ebsite

________

9.

Unknow

n

AA. H

ow

Was C

hild

Porn

Obta

ined? (C

heck

All th

at A

pply

) 1.

Inte

rnet/d

ow

nlo

aded

2.

Em

ail

3.

Obta

ined fro

m th

e su

bje

ct

4.

Texte

d v

ia ce

ll phone/sm

artp

hone

5.

Thro

ugh a

socia

l netw

ork

6.

Hard

copy (m

agazin

e, p

ublica

tion, b

y m

ail)

7.

Part o

f a g

roup/rin

g/co

mm

unity

of u

sers

8.

Pro

duce

d b

y o

ffender

9.

Oth

er m

eans

99. U

nknow

n

BB. D

ate

of In

itial In

volv

em

ent w

ith C

hild

Porn

/Earlie

st D

ow

nlo

ad D

ate

: ________

CC. D

ate

of M

ost R

ece

nt In

volv

em

ent w

ith C

hild

Porn

/Most R

ece

nt D

ow

nlo

ad D

ate

: ________

D

D. S

ecu

rity M

easu

res T

aken to

Avoid

Dete

ction

(Check

All th

at A

pply

)

1.

None

2.

Passw

ord

s for co

mpute

r login

3.

Softw

are

to e

rase

bro

wsin

g h

istory

4.

Encry

ptio

n/lo

ckin

g o

f files

5.

Oth

er m

easu

res

6.

Unknow

n

EE. P

led G

uilty

? 1.

No

2.

Yes

9.

Unknow

n

If Ple

d G

uilty

, then P

lea A

gre

em

ent?

1. N

o

2. Y

es

9. U

nknow

n

If Ple

d G

uilty

, then S

ente

ncin

g A

gre

em

ent?

1. N

o

2. Y

es

9. U

nknow

n

FF. A

lso P

osse

ssed A

dult P

orn

ogra

phy?

1.

No

2.

Yes

3.

Unknow

n

If Yes, W

hat P

erce

nta

ge o

f Porn

Involv

ed

Child

ren? _

_______

GG

. Images In

troduce

d In

to E

vid

ence

?

1.

No

2.

Yes

3.

Unknow

n

HH

. Victim

Impact S

tate

ment S

ubm

itted?

1.

No

2.

Yes, p

repare

d b

y su

bje

ct 3.

Yes, p

repare

d b

y p

are

nt

4.

Yes, p

repare

d b

y o

ther p

erso

n

5.

Yes, p

repare

r unknow

n

9.

Unknow

n

II. D

ata

/Info

rmatio

n S

ource

: 1.

Police

report

2.

Pro

secu

tor’s file

s

3.

Victim

/witn

ess sta

tem

ent

4.

Court re

cord

s

5.

PSI re

port

6.

Defe

ndant (d

efe

ndant’s v

ersio

n in

PSI)

7.

Com

bin

atio

n o

f multip

le so

urce

s 9.

Unknow

n

Sentencing Events with

Possession of Child Pornography

as the Most Serious Offense

FY2009 – FY2013

Study Option 1

6

Region 1 Tidewater Cases: 35

Region 2 Northern Virginia Cases: 77

Region 5 Southside Virginia Cases: 35

Region 4 Southwest Virginia Cases: 49

Region 3 Central Virginia Cases: 53

Region 6 Shenandoah Valley/Piedmont Cases: 44

7

Study Option 1

Study Option 1

Cost Estimate – Field Work

Region 1

Tidewater

Region 2

Northern

Region 3

Central

Region 4

Southwest

Region 5

Southside

Region 6

Shenandoah TOTAL

Number of cases 35 77 53 49 35 44 293

Number of localities to visit 15 6 13 14 12 16 76

Number of localities per day 2 2 2 2 2 2

Number of field days 7.5 4.0 6.5 7.0 6.0 8.0 39

Number of staff per team 2 2 2 2 2 2

Number of trips 2 2 2 2 2 2

Staff time $ 2,723 $ 1,452 $ 2,360 $ 2,541 $ 2,178 $ 2,904

Lodging $ 1,068 $ 352 $ 830 $ 950 $ 664 $ 996

Meals $ 704 $ 352 $ 616 $ 616 $ 528 $ 704

Vehicle/Gas $ 571 $ 294 $ 498 $ 514 $ 440 $ 587

TOTAL $ 5,066 $ 2,450 $ 4,303 $ 4,621 $ 3,811 $ 5,192 $ 25,443

8

Extra field day due to

large number of cases

in Fairfax

Study Option 1

Cost Estimate - Total

Field work $ 25,443

Keying, cleaning, and analysis of data

2 staff, 1.5 months each $ 16,576

TOTAL $ 42,019

9

Option 1 (Presented at April 14, 2014 meeting)

Use entire data collection instrument

Travel to Circuit Court Clerks’ and Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ offices to gather data from files

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 2

Use pared-down data collection instrument

Limit travel to localities with more than 10 cases

For remaining localities, ask Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ Offices to complete pared-down form

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 3

Add FY2014 data to the analysis and retest proposed

changes presented in 2013 Annual Report

Proposed Study Options

10

Study Option 2

I. Subject’s Relationship to Offender:

1. Stranger/None

2. Known to Victim (not relative or

step-parent)

3. Relative (not step-parent)

4. Step-Parent

5. Other Position of Trust

11

Study Option 2

12

13

Offender used a Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

File-Sharing Program?

___ Yes

___ No

___ Unknown

Offender participated in a child

pornography “online community”?

___ Yes

___ No

___ Unknown

Localities with

10 or More Cases

Albemarle 10 Cases

Chesterfield 16 Cases

Fairfax 47 Cases

Prince William 14 Cases

Study Option 2

14

Cases

Accomack 1

Albemarle 10

Alleghany 2

Amherst 1

Arlington 5

Augusta 1

Bedford 8

Bland 1

Buchanan 2

Buckingham 1

Campbell 1

Carroll 4

Chesterfield 16

Fairfax County 47

Fauquier 6

Fluvanna 1

Frederick 4

Gloucester 1

Goochland 1

Grayson 1

Greene 1

Hanover 3

Henrico 8

James City 1

Loudoun 3

Louisa 4

Lunenburg 2

Cases

Alexandria 2

Buena Vista 1

Charlottesville 3

Chesapeake 1

Colonial Heights 3

Fredericksburg 4

Hampton 1

Hopewell 1

Lynchburg 6

Martinsville 1

Newport News 2

Norfolk 8

Portsmouth 1

Radford 6

Richmond City 3

Roanoke City 6

Salem 3

Staunton 4

Suffolk 1

Virginia Beach 8

Waynesboro 1

Williamsburg 2

Winchester 3

Cases

Middlesex 1

Montgomery 7

Nelson 1

New Kent 1

Northampton 1

Northumberland 1

Pittsylvania 2

Powhatan 1

Prince George 2

Prince William 14

Pulaski 3

Richmond County 1

Roanoke County 3

Rockbridge 2

Rockingham 3

Russell 6

Scott 2

Smyth 4

Spotsylvania 7

Stafford 3

Tazewell 3

Warren 3

Washington 2

Wise 5

Wythe 3

York 5

Sentencing Events with Possession of Child Pornography as the Most Serious Offense

by Jurisdiction FY2009 – FY2013

Total Cases = 293 15

16

Study Option 2

Cost Estimate – Field Work

Fairfax Chesterfield Prince William Albemarle TOTAL

Number of cases 47 16 14 10 81

Number of staff

per team 2 2 2 2

Number of field days 3 1 1 1 6

Staff time $ 1,089 $ 363 $ 363 $ 363

Lodging $ 352 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0

Meals $ 264 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0

Vehicle/Gas $ 166 $ 0 $ 73 $ 63

TOTAL $ 1,871 $ 363 $ 436 $ 426 $ 3,096

Study Option 2

Cost Estimate - Total

Field work $ 3,096

Sending out data collection forms & follow-up

with Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Offices

2 staff, 5 days each

$ 1,815

Keying, cleaning, and analysis of data

2 staff, 1.0 month each $ 11,051

TOTAL $ 15,962

17

Option 1 (Presented at April 14, 2014 meeting)

Use entire data collection instrument

Travel to Circuit Court Clerks’ and Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ offices to gather data from files

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 2

Use pared-down data collection instrument

Limit travel to localities with more than 10 cases

For remaining localities, ask Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ Offices to complete pared-down form

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 3

Add FY2014 data to the analysis and retest proposed

changes presented in 2013 Annual Report

Proposed Study Options

18

Study Option 3

Cost Estimate - Total

Analysis of data

2 staff, 1.0 week each $ 2,541

19

Option 1 (Presented at April 14, 2014 meeting)

Use entire data collection instrument

Travel to Circuit Court Clerks’ and Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ offices to gather data from files

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 2

Use pared-down data collection instrument

Limit travel to localities with more than 10 cases

For remaining localities, ask Commonwealth’s

Attorneys’ Offices to complete pared-down form

Analyze and test factors based on data collected

Option 3

Add FY2014 data to the analysis and retest proposed

changes presented in 2013 Annual Report

Proposed Study Options

20

Estimated

Cost:

$ 42,019

Estimated

Cost:

$ 15,962

Estimated

Cost:

$ 2,541

Possession/Reproduction

Offenses Actual

Practice

Recommended

under Current

Sentencing

Guidelines

Probation or

Incarceration

Up to 6 Months

33.4% 30.9%

Incarceration

More than 6 months

(Range includes prison)

66.6% 69.1%

Current guidelines could be

more closely aligned to the

actual prison incarceration rate

Actual versus Recommended Prison Incarceration Rates for

Possession/Reproduction of Child Pornography Offenses (§ 18.2-374.1:1)

FY2009 – FY2013 (Preliminary)

Sentencing Commission’s 2013 Annual Report

21

Sentencing Commission’s 2013 Annual Report

6 5

22

Sentencing Commission’s 2013 Annual Report

Split Additional Offense factor and increase points for certain offenses

Additional Offenses

Primary offense OTHER THAN Primary offense

Production or Possession of Child Porn Production or Possession of Child Porn

§ 18.2-374.1 or § 18.2-374.1:1(A,B) § 18.2-374.1 or § 18.2-374.1:1(A,B)

Maximum Penalty Points Maximum Penalty Points

Years: 5 – 26 ................................... 1 Years: 5 – 26 ................................... 2

27 – 52 …………………........ 2 27 – 52 …………………........ 3

53 or more ........................... 3 53 or more ........................... 4

23

Actual versus Recommended Prison Sentences

Possession of Child Pornography Offenses (§ 18.2-374.1:1)

FY2009 – FY2013

1 count

Actual

Practice

Recommended

under Existing

Sentencing

Guidelines

Mean Sentence 2.3 years 3.2 years

Median Sentence 1.7 years 2.5 years

Recommended

under Proposed

Sentencing

Guidelines

2.3 years

1.9 years

For cases scored on Section C,

the proposed guidelines better

reflect actual sentencing practices

Sentencing Commission’s 2013 Annual Report

24

Sentencing Commission’s 2013 Annual Report

48 24 12

76 38 19

2 counts ……………………………..... 216 …... 108 ……. 54

Fewer points

for possession

offenses

25

Discussion