Pornography is having a rising impact on juvenile crime according to Joan Liquin, a victim's advocate for First District Juvenile Court. In a report to the Cache County Council this week Liquin said about 85 percent of the pornography crimes are self-reported because the kids don't want their parents to know what's happening.

Liquin told the Council the nature of the crimes has been changing from such offenses as lewdness and sex abuse to the new trends like sending ponographic pictures by cell phone and text messages.

Liquin says the effects of pornography are long-lasting for both the victims and the perpetrators and often require years and years of therapy. She says prevention is the best approach in dealing with the problem and an educational outreach effort is underway.

Pornography is a growing problem, one that creates havoc on relationships and destroys opportunities. There is hope through therapy, according to Dr. Matthew Hedelius of the Comprehensive Treament Clinic, but he says it can take a long time.

He says early intervention is the key because in adoescence the brain is softer than in adulthood so change will take place easier. Dr. Hedelius says we need to minimize the availability where someone could act out and be exposed to pornography but we should recognize that we won't be able to completely shut people off from it.

Dr. Hedelius says his clients range in age from young teenagers to adults into their eighties.