Common myths about sex crimes

Separating Fact from Fiction in Sex Crimes

Even with virtually unlimited information available at a moment’s notice through the internet, many myths about sex crimes and sex crime defense persist. Here are a few of the most common ones.

People in possession of child pornography have committed sexual assault – or will

The general connection between viewing pornography and sexual assault is perhaps the biggest myth of all. Numerous studies show that people who view pornography are no more likely to commit sex crimes than people who do not.

Regarding child molesters, research indicates they aren’t necessarily also hoarding child pornography. Indeed, many child molesters prefer adult porn.

Trying to resolve the situation directly with the accuser is a good idea

This tactic may seem reasonable, especially to someone falsely accused, but this approach can make the situation much worse – and make you look even more guilty.

Additionally, once prosecutors have the case, they don’t necessarily need the accuser to cooperate. Even if the accuser retracts their accusation, prosecutors can continue the case.

Relatedly, people falsely accused of a sex crime sometimes try to go on offense via social media, thinking they can squash the accusations and save their reputation. However, this approach can worsen the situation in countless ways. Any reasonable lawyer will advise their client to stay off social media entirely during an investigation.

It’s cheaper to leave sex offenders in jail than it is to treat them

Annual incarceration costs vary by state but range from $15,000 (Alabama) to more than $69,000 (New York) per prisoner. Meanwhile, outpatient sex offender treatment programs range from $7,000 to about $27,000 per offender per year, again depending on the state.

Sex offenders frequently reoffend

The stigma of a conviction, and appearing on a sex offender registry, is that sex offenders are constantly at risk of reoffending.

According to an analysis by Hanson and Bussière, child molesters had only a 13% rate of reoffending for the same crime. Interestingly, sex offenders were convicted for different, non-sex crimes within five years of their sex crime conviction at a rate of 37%.

Hiring an experienced sex crimes defense attorney makes you look guilty

On the contrary, people falsely accused of sex crimes should hire the most experienced criminal defense lawyer they can find. The ramifications of trusting your generalist lawyer with your sex crime defense can be disastrous.