The term “sex crime” includes offenses against both adults and children. These offenses include rape, statutory rape, lewd conduct, incest, indecent exposure, child molestation, possession of child pornography, and solicitation.
Sex Crimes are among the most challenging cases for criminal defense attorneys to defend because juries often assume the defendant is guilty from the beginning and/or hold the believe that it is better to find the defendant guilty than to take a chance on letting someone who could possibly be a child molester go free.
Prosecutors often prey on these fears and imply to the jury that the person will do this again, that child molesters never stop, and the community will continue to be in danger if the person is not incarcerated. Jurors have been known to look past any evidence presented and convict the accused regardless of how weak the prosecutor’s case is.
Sex cases often turn on when a jury has to decide if a child is lying, was coached by a third party, which has been known to occur in custody disputes, or whether the accused is actually guilty. Regardless of the testimony and evidence, unfortunately, jurors tend to error on the side of “caution” and instead of applying the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard, apply the “we better lock him up just in case he is a child molester” standard.
Consequences
Convictions for specified sex crimes carry severe sentences. Even in cases where the defendant believed the sex was “consensual,” if found guilty of a crime, the defendant could be facing a long prison term.
Regardless of whether a lengthy state prison sentence is imposed, the majority of persons convicted of “sex crimes” will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of their life. Registration as a sex offender forever marks the defendant as an undesirable individual and greatly restricts where that person can live and work.
