What if child porn is encountered during research?

[jim.halfpenny at gmail.com (Jim Halfpenny)]

To be honest my attitude is based on past experience trying to report
similar issues to law enforcement in the distant past. I've been frustrated
at the crazy conclusions some officers have come to when I've tried to
report issues. I fully imagine spending a night in the cells and having my
life ruined by reporting such an incident. It's a lousy attitude I admit.

Jim


2009/9/10 Michael Douglas <mick at pauldotcom.com>

> Jim, at one point that was the attitude of law enforcement.  I know, I
> was there... it was fugly.
>
> But unfortunately, the volume of these sorts of issues is such that
> *every* police department i've worked with in the past 5 years has a
> computer forensics "go-to guy" either internal or external.  As a
> result, assuming you approach them correctly, you're not going to get
> any flack.  I know... I'm there now.
>
> <warning -- I'm getting on my high horse>
>
> I'm *very* concerned with your approach, mostly from a moral
> standpoint.  If my turning over files is helpful in breaking a case,
> or just building a case, it is WELL worth the minor inconvenience of
> handing files over.  Just deleting files and walking away is not
> something I would ever encourage.
>
> "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do
> nothing." (Edmund Burke)
>
> <off high horse>
>
>
> Again, please get a lawyer!  You have to know what protections you
> have in your jurisdiction.
> - Mick
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 7:42 AM, Jim Halfpenny <jim.halfpenny at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > 2009/9/10 Michael Dickey <lonervamp at gmail.com>
> > > Personally, I think I would wipe it clean off. That's not something I'd
> > > like to ever mess with or run afoul of.
> > >
> > > But there may be value in forensically examining the files or the
> victims,
> > > so it might be best to report the incident and turn over evidence.
> >
> > I for one would not expect a friendly or sympathetic response from law
> > enforcement if I approached them with such evidence. My gut instinct is
> to
> > securely delete and ignore, grave though the crime may be. If you are not
> a
> > law enforcement officer it's not your business to investigate crimes and
> > doing so could land you in hot water. IANAL but I don't think you are
> duty
> > bound to report a crime if the only report you can give is, "Paedophiles
> are
> > using anonymising tools on the Internet."
> >
> > Consult legal council. You may wish to document incidents where you are
> > inadvertantly exposed to such material and keep a copy of this log with a
> > solictor should you ever get into trouble.
> >
> > Jim
> >
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