Changes coming to Colorado's sex offender laws?

March 21, 2014

Most states have very strong penalties for individuals convicted of sex crimes. This includes mandatory minimum prison sentences followed by sex offender registration requirements. Even though it costs a lot of money to house and monitor these offenders, the penalties for these crimes continue to get stronger.

The Colorado Legislature has recently been debating "Jessica's Law," which would impose severe penalties for those convicted of sex crimes involving child victims. The state is one of a select few in the country that currently does not have some form of law in place. The law started in Florida in the 2000s after a child was murdered by a previously released sex offender.

Each political party has proposed a bill that addresses these types of crimes. The Republican version of the bill would require mandatory minimum sentences of 25 years for individuals convicted of the specific sex crimes against children. The bill proposed by the Democrats would allow courts to review the facts of the specific case, allowing the courts to determine which sentence is appropriate.

Both sides have been critical of the other's proposal. Republicans feel the Democrat version is not tough enough on certain offenders, while Democrats believe that mandatory minimum sentences are too overreaching for certain crimes. The votes on these proposals have went according to party lines, meaning legislators may have work to do before they are able to pass one of these bills.

No matter what ends up happening, the penalties for these crimes will be changing in the near future. Those charged with certain sex offenses will need to be sure that they understand how the changes will impact their specific case.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, you may feel like you have nowhere to turn. These crimes will have a substantial impact on several different areas of your life, and it can be nearly impossible to tell your side of the story to the community. Your friends and relatives may not trust you anymore, making it difficult to live a normal life.

It is extremely important that you contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as you find out you are the target of an investigation. Your attorney can be by your side as you meet with law enforcement, and help you learn more about the evidence that may be used against you.

Your attorney will also be able to aggressively protect your rights throughout the entire process, up to and including trial, if necessary. You do not want to go through this on your own, and make a mistake that could result in your having to serve a lengthy prison sentence.

Article provided by Gerash Steiner, P.C.
Visit us at www.gerashsteiner.net