3 Surprising Ways You Might End Up A Registered Sex Offender
Posted on: 27 November 2018
How do you end up on a sex offender database? Most people assume that everyone on a database has forced someone to participate in sexual contact against their will. Unfortunately, that's far from the case. There are a number of surprising reasons that you can be labeled a dangerous criminal.
Here are some of the ways that people end up on sex offender registries before they hardly realize what is happening to them:
1. Consensual sex as a teenager
What happens when an 18-year-old and a 17-year old have consensual sex? If they happen to live in California, the 18-year-old can go to jail and become a registered sex offender. The age of consent varies widely from state to state throughout the U.S., and not everyone is clear what those limits are. In California, sexual intercourse with anyone under the 18 years of age is considered statutory rape.
To add to the confusion, "Romeo and Juliet" laws will sometimes cut young people a break -- but only if they're close enough in age. California doesn't have an exception, while Texas won't charge someone as long as there's no more than a three-year gap between the age of the adult and the age of the minor. Since each state is different, is there any wonder people get confused?
2. Public urination
How could you end up a registered sex offender just for relieving yourself in an emergency? Pick the wrong state to pee in. Public urination is considered a sex crime in at least a dozen states.
That means that if you've had too many beers at a bar and stop in an alleyway to relieve yourself behind a dumpster, you could be charged with "lewd and lascivious conduct." That single act could force you to register as a sex offender and be subject to all the same restrictions as a violent rapist.
3. Sex in a car, in a park, or on a beach
Sometimes romance is in the air, and a couple gets carried away and engages in sexual intercourse in what they think is a discreet location. While it may not be the most appropriate behavior, it's the sort of thing that's romanticized in movies all the time. That's why it's a huge surprise for people to find out that prosecutors consider consensual sex in a car, on the beach, or in a public park to be a serious crime these days. Not only could you face being labeled a sexual offender, but you could also face serious jail time. A couple in Florida, for example, could have been sentenced to 15 years each for their romp in the sand.
The sex offender laws in the United States are considered among the most draconian in the modern world, which is why it's so important to have an experienced defense attorney by your side if you've been charged with sex crimes.
Share