Man Barred From Being Alone With Daughter After Informing Police of Porn On PC 777
First time accepted submitter robably writes "A man who informed police when he found child abuse images on his computer has not been allowed to be alone with his daughter for four months. Nigel Robinson from Hull said he called police after trying to download music but instead finding pornographic images on his laptop last November. As a result social services said he 'should not have unsupervised access with his own or other children.'"
I thought this was known by now (Score:5, Informative)
If you find something like that, you do NOT report it.
It doesn't matter if you obtained it, you will likely take the fall.
Re:I've said it before... (Score:2, Informative)
I'd say never contact them no matter what. Better to die.
Re:I thought this was known by now (Score:5, Informative)
Be careful.
From: http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/18C110.txt [house.gov]
-HEAD-
Sec. 2258. Failure to report child abuse
-STATUTE-
A person who, while engaged in a professional capacity or activity described in subsection (b) of section 226 of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 on Federal land or in a federally operated (or contracted) facility, learns of facts that give reason to suspect that a child has suffered an incident of child abuse, as defined in subsection (c) of that section, and fails to make a timely report as required by subsection (a) of that section, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year or both.
So if you're working on a machine, see CP and don't report it, you are on the hook.
Re:I've said it before... (Score:4, Informative)
Yeah, you beat me to it.
For those who haven't seen it:
Don't Talk to the Police
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc [youtube.com]
Re:What else did he expect? (Score:5, Informative)
Sounds to me like social services just found the guy's name involved in a child porn investigation and assume he's dangerous. This doesn't seem to be an issue of bad police intentionally making somebody's life miserable, but rather a miscommunication that now has to be investigated, verified, checked, reviewed, and accepted by half a dozen different departments before any resolution will come about.
Re:I thought this was known by now (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I thought this was known by now (Score:5, Informative)
Indeed. From TFA: "Mr Robinson said: 'It makes you feel as though you shouldn't have reported it in the first place'."
Never EVER trust the police. Any police. When I was in the USAF stationed at Dover in 1972, I had barracks duty one day and the duty sergent came to me as I was sweeping, held up a hand rolled something and said "what's this?" I replied, well, it's either a cigarette or a joint."
"How do you tell?" I took it, broke it open, and said "It's green. It's a joint."
So the stupid old man asks "what should I do about it?"
I told him to throw it in the dumpster and forget about it. He said "I dunno, maybe I should report it?"
I told him "if you do, all you'll accomplish is sitting around filling paperwork about it for two days."
When I saw him the next day he said "you were right, I should have just thrown it away. Damned assholes treated me like a criminal and I had to fill out paperwork all damned afternoon. Now I'm behind in my real work."
Pointing the blame at the wrong group (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I thought this was known by now (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Bottom line: never cooperate with the authoriti (Score:5, Informative)
Straight from the horse's mouth: Don't Talk to Police [youtube.com].
The first half is a defense attorney, the second half is a cop. Both speakers make it very clear -- do not talk to police without a lawyer present. Some will try to screw you to boost their numbers, others will screw you by accident, but either way you get screwed. Cops have a very specific job to do, and that job does not involve looking out for your personal best interests. Talk to a lawyer instead - they are legally required to do what's best for you.
Posession is illegal (Score:4, Informative)
Posession of child porn is illegal. It doesn't matter how you got it, having it is illegal.
So, if you want to get someone in legal hot water, just plant some on their property. Or anonymously text it to their phone when they are somewhere nice and public that it might be seen when they look at it. Just make sure YOU don't get caught with the stuff you are planting on your victim (since distribution is also illegal).
Re:I've said it before... (Score:3, Informative)
Police officers are required to enforce all the laws, not just the ones they agree with.
Therefore, any police officer can be no better than the worst law.
Re:I've said it before... (Score:5, Informative)
I think what set them off was the Erlenmeyer flasks. They seem to scream mad scientist to non chemistry people.
Erlenmeyer flasks (and much of the other glassware you mention) are illegal to possess in Texas without a permit--and in order to get a permit, you must allow the police to search your house (or place of business) unannounced: The Precursor Chemical Statute [state.tx.us]
Re:Bottom line: never cooperate with the authoriti (Score:5, Informative)
They do exist; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_silence_in_England_and_Wales [wikipedia.org]
The only caveat is that if you rely on some innocent defence in court that you might reasonably have given during questioning but did not, the judge or jury /might/ assume that you made up the defence.
Re:I thought this was known by now (Score:4, Informative)
Unless the parents are ethnics.
Female circumcision: Who are we to judge other cultures' traditions?
Death during exorcism: can we prove, with our racist western so-called science that there is no such thing as witchcraft?
Re:Bottom line: never cooperate with the authoriti (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Posession is illegal (Score:5, Informative)
Not reporting a crime can be illegal too. I have a friend who got 6 months for merely firing a client who was engaged in illegal activities rather than turning her in.