WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING CONVICTED OF A SEX CRIME?

Generally speaking, there is a major stigma against those that have been convicted of sex crimes in the United States, and it is easy to understand why. Individuals who have been charged with sex offenses are often charged with severe crimes such as rape or molestation. When individuals are convicted of these types of crimes, they are usually placed on the sex offender registry. This registry can be searched by concerned people, unveiling the fact that the person is identified as a sex offender, but not necessarily the severity of their crime.

There are, of course, many individuals who have been wrongly charged or even wrongly convicted of sex crimes. But there are also people who have been charged with sex crimes and placed on the sex offender list despite the fact that their crimes are relatively minor. In both cases, the lives of people who are innocent or acted without understanding the full consequences of their actions can be severely affected on a permanent level. This is why it's incredibly important that those facing sex crime charges seek out specific sex crimes defense attorneys.

What Are The Limitationsof Sex Crime Charges?

Individuals can be charged with sex crimes in a variety of different situations. While some cases involving sex crimes are fairly straightforward, others fall more into legal gray areas. For example, in some states individuals can be charged with statutory rape after having consensual sex with partners that are less than four years their junior, simply because the partner was a minor at the time. This means that individuals can be charged with sex offenses after having consensual sex with their high school boyfriend or girlfriend.

Additionally, individuals can be charged with sex crimes after committing the seemingly minor offense of public urination. In fact, 13 different states require that individuals convicted of public urination are registered as sex offenders. Although two of those states require that the individual convicted must have been urinating in front of a minor, it is nonetheless quite important for people to understand that this offense can have surprisingly major consequences if a person is not represented by a qualified attorney.</p.

This is not the only apparently minor charge that can result in major penalties. In California, for example, women can be arrested for indecent exposure after flashing their breasts for a brief period of time in order to gratify themselves or offend others. As indecent exposure can result in a person being placed on the sex offender registry, this should be taken seriously as well.

Indeed, minors are not above being charged with sex offenses. Minors that take and distribute nude photos of themselves can also be charged with sex crimes. It is not uncommon for minors to take nude photos of themselves with the intent of sending them to their partners who are often also minors. These photos can be classified as child pornography, and the minors who took the photos can become registered sex offenders in the long term. So too can minors who distributed nude photos of their peers.

What Are the Long Term Consequencesof Being Convicted of a Sex Crime?

Individuals that are convicted of sex crime charges can be fined or face lengthy jail sentences, depending on the severity of the crime. But even those that do not face jail time following a sex crime conviction can be placed on the sex offender registry. Having a sex crime on their criminal record can have serious long term consequences.

Those in Ohio with criminal records face "collateral sanctions". These are over 900 different barriers in state laws that can restrict their housing, employment, family involvement, and other rights and privileges. People that have been convicted of sex crime charges may struggle to gain jobs, and indeed regain standing in their communities.

The only way to face these types of charges effectively is with a good criminal defense lawyer. Without a good defense, a person could easily be facing the consequences of sex crime charges for the rest of their life.