Juvenile Sex Offenders
From their favorite movies and video games to their favorite songs, it’s easy to understand why juveniles may be confused or curious about sexuality. Minors under 18 are constantly surrounded by sexual imagery and language and are often curious about sex. Sometimes, this curiosity leads to inappropriate behavior. In Florida, the law often equates juveniles acting inappropriately with adults who commit sex crimes, leading to trouble with the law and requiring a criminal defense lawyer.
Minors caught “experimenting” or engaging in behavior that is sexual in nature can now be charged with felony crimes as the state of Florida aggressively prosecutes sex crimes. Juveniles who have accused of sex offenses in West Palm Beach may often face the same hurdles as adults. In Florida, minors 14 and older convicted of a sexual offense are required to register as sex offenders. Additionally, the juvenile justice system transfers many cases of juvenile sex offenses to the adult court system which treats juvenile offenders as adults, without regard for the fact that due to their young ages these offenders typically do not think or act like adults in their day-to-day lives.
Juvenile Sex Offenders on the Registry
A youth placed on the sex offender registry in Florida may have to register as a sex offender for a minimum of 30 years. Registration involves publicly publishing the child’s picture and address so that they are just an online search away from anyone looking at the registry. Being a registered sex offender can strip a person of his or her future. If you or your child faces charges for a sex crime, the urgency of the matter cannot be understated. Talk with a juvenile sex offender lawyer in West Palm Beach right away to weigh your options for dealing with the charges against you or your child.
What is the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act?
Due to the federal Adam Walsh Act of 2006, states are required to implement public registries– and add juvenile offenders to these– or miss out on federal funding for criminal justice. This act, established after 6-year old Adam Walsh was abducted from a mall and killed, seeks to protect children from sexual exploitation, violent crime, and child abuse.
Florida is one of the many states that participate in this act; if the state were to opt out of this law, it would lose 10% of its Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funding. The law is unlikely to change. Juveniles who face charges for sexual offenses could lose their ability to enroll in higher education, live where they would like, or even find employment. An juvenile sex offender attorney should familiarize himself with the case as early as possible to potentially be able to seal the child’s records upon the conclusion of the case. With over 30 years of experience defending juvenile sex offenders in Palm Beach County, juvenile sex offender attorney Brian Gabriel will do what it takes to fight the charges at hand.
Speak with a West Palm Beach Juvenile Sex Offender Lawyer Immediately
Each second contemplating you or your child’s future after an arrest for a sexual offense is time a dedicated juvenile sex offender attorney could spend filing motions and communicating with the district attorney to fight for justice for you or your child. Schedule a free consultation online or call The Law Office of Gabriel & Gabriel at 561-622-5575.
