Due to interest groups, hysteria, and politicians looking to make a name for themselves, laws and enforcement across the country have gotten rather lopsided in the opinion of some. Because of these laws, those charged with certain offences wind up paying for their mistakes for their entire lives. In many cases, minor offenders are given sentences and have to adhere to guidelines that make their punishments stiffer than they would be if they committed murder. If you’ve been charged with one of these offences, the first thing you need to do is contact a good sex crime lawyer.
Mark C. Cogan, P.C has for long fought against some of the stiffer penalties facing these offenders. One such penalty that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years is the offender registries that many states have added to the books. Because of these records, offenders must have their names and photographs put into a data-bank that is open for the public to view. Additionally, many states require that these individuals put signs in their yards warning the neighborhood. While these requirements seem to make for a safer community at first glance, where do due justice stop and cruel and unusual punishment begin?
In addition to registries, offenders in some states have constraints placed on where they can live. These restrictions typically prohibit finding a habitation within a certain distance from a school. Again, this makes sense on the surface, but in practice, it doesn’t work. In some cities, some schools combined with the restrictions means finding a place to live is impossible. Does the good these laws do (and studies have shown that they do very little to curb future deviance) trump a citizen’s right to find a place to live?
A sex crime lawyer Portland can help answer these questions and can fight for your rights if you have been convicted or charged with one of these crimes. Because of the broad nature of these laws, many people are being swept into the same category, even when common sense would say they don’t belong there. In recent years, teenagers have been charged with child porn for sending risque pictures of themselves to each other via text message. Does such a person deserve the same restrictions as someone who committed rape? Because of a “nuke em all” mentality, this is the kind of thing that is happening every day in America, and a sex crime lawyer may be able to assist you.
Directions To Our Portland Criminal Justice Attorney Law Firm
1500 SW 1st Ave #780
Portland, OR, 97201 Phone: (503) 827-8092