Index/Topics/Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material under U.S. federal law

Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material under U.S. federal law

The possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material under U.S. federal law, including the requirements for proof and the differences between state and federal statutes.

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Jan 17, 2026
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What percentage of CSAM possession cases lead to prosecution and conviction in the United States?

Available reporting does not provide a single, reliable national percentage of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) possession cases that lead to prosecution and conviction in the United States; researc...

Jan 24, 2026
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What legal standards and digital-forensic steps do prosecutors require to turn a CSAM report into an arrest and conviction?

Prosecutors need admissible proof of statutory elements beyond a reasonable doubt — typically that a defendant knowingly possessed, produced, or distributed (CSAM) under -law">federal and state statut...

Jan 31, 2026
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How do state penalties for CSAM possession differ across U.S. jurisdictions?

of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) vary widely : most states treat possession as a felony but differ in felony class, prison ranges, fines, and collateral requirements such as . mandatory minimums ...

Jan 14, 2026

Which countries explicitly criminalize AI‑generated sexual images of minors and how do they define intent?

The United Kingdom has moved first to expressly criminalise AI tools and manuals that generate sexualised images of children, creating distinct offences for possessing, creating or distributing such t...

Feb 2, 2026

How do federal statutes distinguish viewing from possessing child sexual abuse material?

Federal law treats possession and viewing of child sexual abuse material () as separate concepts with overlapping enforcement implications: possession — generally defined as knowingly controlling or s...