More than 450 child pornography charges laid against youths aged 10 to 17 in past three years

HUNDREDS of teenagers have been charged over producing or distributing child pornography amid growing concern that "sexting" has reached epidemic levels.

HUNDREDS of teenagers have been charged over producing or distributing child pornography amid growing concern that "sexting" has reached epidemic levels.

In the past three years, more than 450 child pornography charges have been laid against youths between the ages of 10 and 17, including 113 charges of "making child exploitation material".

More than 160 charges were laid in 2010 alone - 26 more than in 2008.

Parents and communities continue to grapple with the issue of "sexting", where sexual images are exchanged via SMS.

Teens who engage in sexting not only risk child pornography charges, but can also be listed alongside serial pedophiles and rapists on sexual offender lists.

Police confirmed that some juvenile offenders appear on Queensland's sex offender registry.

Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said "a lack of parental supervision" was a key factor.

"They're ignorant of the law and no one's ever sat them down and said 'When you take a picture of yourself and send it, that's child pornography'," he said.

Dr Carr-Gregg said a conviction would have a "catastrophic" effect on a teenager's future.

"If a young person is put on the sex offenders registry, they have to notify police every time they change their hair colour and wouldn't easily get visas to places overseas, and it's going to make employment difficult," he said.

In January, two West Australian boys - one 15 and the other 16 - were reportedly placed on the state's sex offender registry after they were caught engaging in group sex with a girl, 14.

A third boy was also listed as a sex offender after using his mobile phone to film the incident.

Queensland's shocking statistics are just the tip of the iceberg, with offences potentially going unrecorded due to discretionary powers that give police the option to take no action when dealing with a juvenile offender caught with child pornography.

But others can find their names added to the state's Child Protection Offender Register or the Australian National Child Offender Register.

The Sunday Mail reported earlier this year that schools were being overwhelmed by an explosion in smartphone use, with sexting and malicious Facebook pages chief among concerns.

Education Queensland hired former undercover child pornography investigator Rob Priddey to target students causing mischief through social networking.

Mr Priddey has since worked with the department to shut down at least one Facebook page a day.