The Causes of Low Conviction Rate for Sexual Offenders

Executive Summary

This paper aims to discuss the policy problem of low conviction rates for sex offenders, specifically to first time offenders. There are many causes associated with this issue, and the most common will be analyzed and discussed, along with possible alternative measure that can be taken to reduce the lack of justice for this population, with the ultimate goal of reducing sexual violations as it will be clear what the punishment is for those actions. This is not to say that sex offender registration and notification policies do not have a place on the policy agenda, but that underreporting of these crimes plays a big role in the policy level and attention given to the problem. Underreporting also plays a role in the low recidivism rates for sexual offenders, as well as traits such as age and type of punishment implemented, which will be discussed below.

Analysis

The Prevalence of Sexual Abuse

One form of infringement upon an individual’s natural rights is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is an unfortunate reality in our society, and can be considered the ultimate form of torture, as there are several layers of physical, mental, and emotional damage. Sexual abuse can be defined as unwanted sexual contact in a situation involving at least two parties consisting of the victim and the offender. Some types of sexual abuse include unwanted light contact, such as kissing or touching; threatening or pressuring a person into sexual activity; molestation, regardless of child or adult; and violent sexual activity or rape (“What is Sexual Abuse”). There is prominent data supporting the prevalence of sexual abuse in the U.S, along with media attention of later confessions of both victims and perpetrators shows that the iss...

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...t issue in modern day United States. A disturbing trend that was observed was the high amount of sexual assault occurrences, but the low amount of convictions for sex offenders. In an effort to solve this issue, the initial step was to identify the major contributors to this phenomenon, which included unprocessed rape kits and misinformed jurors and judges. Laws to regulate the processing of rape kits and the funding of sexual abuse-focused educational programs were suggested, and it is expected that these alternatives will become potential solutions to the issue of low conviction rate. Upon entering society, individuals have the right to a sense of security and peace of mind, and their rights should be protected through the authority of the law. It is only natural to preserve these ideals for all individuals, which involves the removal of harmful agents.