How to report possible violations of
State and local obscenity laws

A central plank in any program of citizen support for obscenity law enforcement is the submission of reports about possible violations of State and local obscenity laws to State prosecutors. To assist you in this, ObscenityCrimes.org has designed a generic State Obscenity Report Form in MS Word format that you or your group or organization should submit to these officials.

One or two persons from your group may want to volunteer for the difficult but important task of visiting the "adult" bookstores or other businesses that sell hardcore pornography and noting the names and titles of such material. You should not confront the proprietor of the establishment. The "buy" should be made by an undercover cop who will be able to testify.

You will note that, with this form, you are not initiating a criminal prosecution. You are only making a report, exercising your right as a citizen to have the proper official investigate a possible violation of the law.

You should have a copy of your State obscenity law (if your State has an effective law) or your local obscenity ordinance (if any). To see about your state's laws, go to the Federal and State Obscenity Statutes page of Morality in Media's National Obscenity Law Center.

On the lines beneath "State Prosecutor" address your report to your local District Attorney (State's Attorney, County Prosecutor, etc.). The office should be listed in the phone book.

Please note the three-pronged test for obscenity that follows the words, "In My Opinion." In order to be obscene, the material must meet all three tests.