Child Pornography involves material, whether print, electronic media, video or audio, which depicts minors in various sexual positions or involved in sexual or erotic poses or acts.  Most of the time, these minors are undressed either partially or completely. Federal law differentiates between production, distribution and receiving or purchasing child pornography.  Likewise, it has increased penalties depending on the age of the child. The interstate commerce clause grants the Federal Government the power to prosecute child pornography. Although recently challenged on constitutional grounds as being too broad, the interstate commerce clause was nevertheless upheld by the United States Supreme Court as the proper basis for the Federal Child Pornography laws. These violations carry very long and severe sentences.

Child Pornography is big business these days.  It is estimated that Child Pornography generates $3 billion per year.  Much of this type of material comes out of Eastern Europe, Asia, and the developing countries, and is distributed via the internet, where it is traded and sold.  The majority of web sites containing Child Pornography, however, are located in the United States.  More than 50% of these sites are operated on a pay-per-view basis.  Some of the photographs and video [commonly known as “abuse images” and “child sexual abuse images”] depict prepubescent and post-pubescent minors involved in sexual activity with adults or animals.  Some simply depict prepubescent and post-pubescent minors naked and in provocative poses.  The ages for these minors range from teenagers all the way down to infants.  In the last decade the abuse images have gotten a lot more explicit and lot more brutal.