What are the laws concerning obscenity and indecency?

In Mississippi, obscenity and indecency are defined and regulated by a set of laws called the Mississippi Obscenity and Indecency Law. According to the law, any material, performance, exhibition, utterance, advertisement or any other communication that is intended to be, or is in fact, obscene or indecent is subject to certain restrictions. Obscene materials are defined as works that depict or describe sexual acts in a patently offensive way and lack any serious scientific, literary, artistic, or political value. Indecent materials are those that describe or depict sexual organs or activities in an offensive manner, and do not rise to the level of obscenity. Under the Mississippi law, it is a crime to distribute, publish, or exhibit obscene or indecent materials and the penalties may be severe. For example, displaying obscene materials in public locations or selling them to minors may result in a conviction of a Class A misdemeanor, with a maximum possible sentence of one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. It is also a crime to make obscene or indecent materials available to minors, with a conviction of a Class D felony carrying up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Importing obscene materials into Mississippi is also a crime, with a conviction resulting in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Finally, it is illegal to advertise obscene materials in Mississippi, with a conviction of a Class C misdemeanor resulting in up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

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What are the laws concerning obscenity and indecency?

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