January 10, 2020
Judge Tom
1

One year in jail for possessing a cell phone?

cell phone

That’s the penalty in Vermont proposed in a bill introduced in the state legislature in January, 2020. State Senator John Rodgers quoted statistics showing cell phones as one of the leading causes of teen deaths. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the use of cell phones are involved in 1.6 million car crashes each year, causing a half million injuries and 6,000 deaths. If passed, the penalty for possessing a cell phone includes incarceration up to one year, and/or a $1,000 fine for anyone under 21 caught with a cell phone.

The bill also states that “young people frequently use cell phones to bully and threaten other young people, activities that have been linked to many suicides.” Rodgers went on to comment about the connection between cellphone use and terrorism, extremists and mass shooters. However, he also commented that he has “no delusions that it’s going to pass. I wouldn’t probably vote for it myself.”

What do you think of this bill? Is this a valid use of a legislator’s time just to make a point. What are the chances of this bill passing considering the politician who introduced it stated he wouldn’t vote for it? How would it be enforced? Wouldn’t this lead to more police stops and interrogation? Can the state’s judicial system handle the expected increase in litigation, not to mention expenditure of scarce resources?

Photo by Alexandra E Rust

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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1 Comment

  • Robii McCann
    February 13, 2020 5:57 am count( 0 )

    Considering one must be 18 in order to enter in to a contract (prepaid or post paid), I’m curious as to why he’s not going after the parents, guardians, or RESPONSIBLE adult who gave the the cellphone to the minor. As far as the those between the ages of 18-21 I will keep it simple. At the age of 18 one can enter the military and defend the rights and freedoms we bask in, yet if that 19 year old combat soldier comes home on leave, only to get caught with a cellphone and face serious civilian court repercussions as well as being potentially court marshaled or discharged is well beyond absurd.
    Dear Robin: You make a good point. As mentioned, the likelihood of this bill being passed into law are slim. The legislator who introduced it is simply attempting to make a point. Thanks for writing.
    (This is information only – not legal advice).