December 8, 2006
Crime and Punishment Department
The Youngest Sex Offenders
As long as I'm on a rant, I might as well come to the defense of a couple of child molesters. Apparently the law in Utah considers young children who have sex with other young children to be the victims of a sex offense and the perpetrators of a sex offense.
Utah Supreme Court justices acknowledged Tuesday that they were struggling to wrap their minds around the concept that a 13-year-old girl could be both an offender and a victim for the same act - in this case, having consensual sex with her 12-year-old boyfriend.
The Ogden, Utah, girl was put in this odd position because she was found guilty of violating a state law that prohibits sex with someone under age 14. She also was the victim in the case against her boyfriend, who was found guilty of the same violation by engaging in sexual activity with her.
"The only thing that comes close to this is dueling," said Associate Chief Justice Michael Wilkins, noting that two people who take 20 paces and then shoot could each be considered both victim and offender.
As liberal as I am about many moral issues, I'm still not in favor of 12- and 13-year-old kids having sex. This is grounds for some stern discipline. However, in our politicians' zeal to show how tough they are on crime, the official reaction is going to be terrible overkill. Kerry Howley explains what's in store for these kids as they grow up:
For as long as these kids decide to live in Utah--or anywhere else that deems them sex offenders--they'll be treated as potentially dangerous. If they decide to move, the FBI will track them. In many localities, they and their families will face residency requirements.
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Most states are enlightened enough to have either a "Romeo & Juliet" statute reducing sentences for young-on-younger statutory rape or, better, a flat-out proscription against prosecuting someone protected by statutory rape laws from being prosecuted for statutory rape.
Then again, this is Utah.
THIS is just another example of the insanity perpetrated by these laws. Now, the MAJORITY on the registry are not dangerous, and especially to children. There are some very sick people in this country if they think NORMAL child sexual play should put CHILDREN on the registry.
So now we have a majority of non-dangerous men on there and also CHILDREN. What kind of country is this?
But, it's a boondoggle for unscrupulous politicians, drama-driven media and horrendous, overzealous prosecutors who want to use and abuse the law to push themselves up the ladder in their jobs. What insanity !!!
If you care, read what's happening to young people with these laws.
http://www.ethicaltreatment.org/
The worlds youngest sex offender was katelyn overkamp of michigan.
She was put on at 8 yrs of age.
This is unbelievable. Someday, there will be an uprising in this goddamned so-called "land of the free". How dare the legal system devastate these two young kids for making a consensual and childish mistake? And that too permanently? If I were in the teenage boy's shoes, I would have lost all motivation to live. I believe this just as bad (if not worse) as killing them. I would not be surprised if the boy in this case either becomes a real criminal due to his bitterness for the system or commits suicide. They have no future, no hope, just nothing to live for. Congratulations, lawmakers, prosecutors and all other scumbags involved in causing them their fate. You have destroyed yet another 2 innocent kids lives. This is would definitely infuriate the framers of the Constitution. This leads me to believe that America is NOT a free country. A small mistake, even if made accidentally, can result in someone's life destroyed. What is shocking is that these horrible atrocities are being committed openly by the legal system and most people are just quiet. The legal system, as it stands, fosters more crime, since its goal is to always punish, not rehabilitate. People of America need to overthrow this despicable legal system and make new laws that are humane, rehabilitative, and allow people to return to society and pursue their lives normally like they did before once they have served their punishment. Huge human rights violations are taking place all the time in this "land of the free", I guarantee it. The prosecutor of this case is a scumbag and a piece of garbage and should be dis-barred and jailed. He is a BIG disgrace to American society... May God bless America. The above is just my humble opinion. Thanks.
The SOR is nothing more than legalized political thuggery.
So many lives have been , and are being destroyed by this unfair , unjust , unconstitutional mandate , to include children (mostly boys) who are on the registry - and children of a parent or sibling on it , who face constant ridicule and bullying because of it.
The public schools TEACH kids how to have sex , as well as the many varieties to choose from , all with complete immunity from legal action.
Honestly , what is really the agenda of a teacher in the school system who would want to teach this kind of " curriculum" to MINORS ???
Of course , you will be told that since the parents aren't teaching it at home , the school HAS to. Oh yeah ? ... well just for the record , people have been figuring out sex , long before schools were in existance.
These kids in this story have done nothing that merits anything more than a reprimand by their PARENTS. Now they face a life of being branded and banished. Our legal system and the politcians who created it are the ones who need to be put on trial.
As the mother of an autistic RSO , my heart goes out to the families of these children.