By John Cornyn
U.S. Senator

Through most of my years in public service, I’ve been privileged to work alongside the men and women of Texas law enforcement. They are dedicated to discouraging criminal activity and protecting our fellow citizens.

While serving as Texas attorney general, I administered a state fund that provides limited compensation to victims of crime and their families. In recent years, we have paid increased attention to victims’ rights by providing them a more formal role in the criminal justice process. This is a welcome development.

But modern technology and our celebrity-obsessed culture have created a new challenge in criminal justice. Criminals, particularly murderers and sociopaths, have begun cashing in on their notoriety. The trend started when some convicts began writing books about their misdeeds. Most states stopped that practice through “Son of Sam” laws that prohibit convicts from profiting through this twisted “literature.”

More recently, however, criminals have built a thriving enterprise from their prison cells by selling what has become known as “murderabilia.” This refers to tangible goods owned or created by convicted murderers being sold for profit, including personal items such as locks of hair, clothing, autographs or self-described “works of art.” The disturbing practice is carried out almost exclusively online through collection and advertising. Some inmates even go so far as to sell items related to their actual crimes.

It’s reprehensible that when criminals are supposed to be paying their debt for their misdeeds, many are instead exploiting their notoriety and profiting from their deplorable crimes.

Even more tragic is the effect this practice has on crime victims and their families. Many have already suffered immeasurably through the crime itself and the often lengthy process of bringing the criminal to justice. These murderabilia sales slow the healing process, prevent the closure that crime victims deserve and make them suffer yet again.

Web sites peddling murderabilia are grotesque. They glorify the reprehensible, using slogans such as “Where crime pays, every day” and “The world’s best serial killer autograph auction site.” Some defenders even claim these offensive activities are protected as free speech.

Several months ago, my office was contacted about this growing exploitation by Andy Kahan, a tireless advocate for crime victims’ rights in Houston Mayor Bill White’s office. With his assistance, we have initiated steps to cut back or even eliminate this nascent industry.

On May, I introduced the Stop the Sale of Murderabilia to Protect the Dignity of Crime Victims Act of 2007. This legislation will prohibit state or federal prisoners from placing almost any item into the mail for purposes of interstate commerce. Experts believe this approach will starve the Web sites of products and either shut down or reduce dramatically the murderabilia industry.

Cornyn, the junior U.S. senator from Texas, serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget committees. His Web site is www.cornyn.senate.gov.