Child Sexual Abuse: One Strike And You’re Out

There are some crimes that, if you are convicted of them, it’s pretty much over for you. One of those crimes is child sexual abuse. In particular, if you are convicted (as an adult) of engaging in sexual acts with a child under ten years old, the punishment is extremely severe.

This crime is commonly referred to as the “one strike and you’re out” law. A conviction for this crime is an automatic life sentence, even if it’s your first criminal offense.
 

Punishment For Conviction Of Child Sexual Abuse

In addition to the previously mentioned automatic life sentence, if you are convicted of child sexual abuse you will be required to register as a Tier 3 sex offender for life.

If you’re unfamiliar with what it means to be a registered sex offender, the short version is that, even if you get out of jail, you’ll be stigmatized for the rest of your life. The earliest you would be eligible for your first parole hearing is after serving a minimum of 25 years in prison.

Child Sexual Abuse Defense

Because the punishment for crimes involving child sexual abuse is so severe, it is absolutely critical that, if you have been charged with or accused of this crime, you retain the best possible legal defense.

Unfortunately, this particular area of criminal prosecution is prone to false accusations and wrongful convictions. Child accusers make false accusations all the time. Sometimes this stems from confusion, or from anger towards the accused, or from manipulation and “coaching” by other adults with their own ulterior motives.

Because false accusations can be so damming, it’s imperative that you have an attorney that can quickly help get to the bottom of what’s going on. A good attorney will immediately hire a private investigator to ascertain the validity of the accusations, and help build the case for your defense.

Here at Quinnan Law, we have extensive experience defending clients against claims of child sexual abuse. To get a free phone consultation, call our office today.