I thank Bill Nemitz for his Aug. 29 column, “Cracking down on child porn not for the fainthearted,” focusing on child Internet pornography.

I join him in this concern and add that the viewing of child Internet pornography insidiously weaves itself into the fabric of our communities, putting all children at increased risk of sexual violence.

Bill Diamond’s book, “The Evil and the Innocent,” outlines a common pathway followed by some who, becoming desensitized to adult pornography, are lured onto child pornography websites.

When those sites no longer hold their interest, some take the next step, becoming child molesters themselves. Thus, viewing child Internet pornography puts infants, children and adolescents in our own communities at risk for sexual abuse and is likely one explanation for why we are experiencing such an increase across Maine.

Unfortunately, neither the Maine State Police nor the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee have funded the new mobile forensic lab the Computer Crimes Unit so desperately needs.

Such a lab is used for previewing suspect computers in the field, routinely resulting in confessions of 95 percent of suspects.

Currently, a used, retrofitted 2008 GMC cargo van with an inadequate power supply to run laptops and other devices causes system crashes during most previews.

A new mobile forensic lab would provide a power supply that would meet all needs, allow for multiple examiners working in conjunction with other detectives and investigators and include a small interview area as well.

Mainely Girls is spearheading the effort to purchase a van, have it customized and then donate it as a lab directly to the CCU. Of the $100,000 needed, $30,000 has been donated, and all donations are tax-deductible.

Donations can be made on the Mainely Girls website at www. mainelygirls.org. Let’s equip the CCU with what it needs to protect our children.

Mary Orear

Rockport