Comments on: Our addiction to criminalizing addicts

By: The Criminalized Man

The Criminalized Man — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 01:51:55 +0000

I’m sympathetic, but more common than addiction is likely mere art appreciation, along with desire to preserve erasure of culture. Art is not crime. Hollywood regularly spits out media more offensive than “child porn” (recently re-crhstened CSAM). Laws that ignore intent and punish simply “knowing” non-sex acts are the bigger obscenity.

By: J L

J L — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 03:11:22 +0000

I wish there was a way for me to have received help from my addiction. I have a very addictive personality, and when I couldn’t stop, it escalated into being put into the situation I’m in now. I didn’t look at images that were illegal images of children. However, because I couldn’t stop, I began watching adult film in my car on the way to/from work and innocent passersby reported my actions to the police. But our society has a love of shaming those that are struggling with vices, and I felt that my dopamine fueled obsession was better at making me feel better than admitting that I was the one to blame. To go back fifteen years knowing what I know now, I would have absolutely changed my course of action.

By: Sandy Rozek

Sandy Rozek — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:51:26 +0000

In reply to Athena. Thank you, Athena. I'll give that a try and see how it goes.

By: Athena

Athena — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 02:24:39 +0000

One other thought, Sandy, have you ever considered posting your incredibly well written articles on LinkedIn? On LinkedIn you’d get the eyes of mental health care professionals, civil rights lawyers, criminal justice groups, among others and bring NARSOL issues out in the open on a more professional platform than X, Insta, or TikTok.

By: Athena

Athena — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 19:26:10 +0000

Thank you for this excellent article. I wish we could talk about porn addiction more openly in society, lose the shameful stigma, and focus on treatment and recovery. My son was convicted as a very young adult, but his porn addiction problem started much earlier as an adolescent. He has been in treatment since, but unfortunately his sentence is a lifetime on the registry with limits to where he can live, work, be. It makes no sense to deem a young life as incapable of rehabilitation and redemption.

By: M Roberts

M Roberts — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 19:49:39 +0000

Excellent article! I’ve been saying the same thing! Treating a first offense like a drunk driving offense would send them to therapy to get help. It would also fine them, so there is another punishment without destroying the life of a 24 year old, barely grown up, coming across unsolicited images for the first time in his emails and sharing them…because, well, he received them – it must ok if the authorities allowed these images to be out there.

In Florida where registry and residency restrictions are permanent, with no exceptions, it’s a crime in itself to punish people AND THEIR FAMILIES for a first offense with prison time and registry!!

A little mercy can go a long way!!!!!!