SAFE Act

Tougher federal sentences for child sexual offenses

This bill would tell the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and change federal sentencing rules for people convicted under 18 U.S.C. 1466A, 2251(d)(1)(A), 2252, 2252A, and 2260(b). It would define key terms, including "child" as under 18 and "child sexual abuse material" per 18 U.S.C. 2256(8). The Commission would have to account for many factors when setting penalties, such as prior or related conduct, group participation, long or frequent offending, use of concealment technology, use of three or more online channels, severity of the conduct and victim age, numbers of images or victims, distribution or production details, and whether the offense caused a victim's suicide. The bill would bar lowering the base offense level in guideline 2G2.2(a), let the Commission change related guideline rules and offense characteristics, and repeal certain prior statutes that previously directed sentencing rules (laws from 1992, 1995, and 2003) and strike paragraph (7) of U.S.S.G. 2G2.2(b).