Sex Crime FAQs

Wise Law Group, PC provides criminal defense representation to Northern California clients accused of sex crimes. For more information about our firm, visit our criminal practice areas overview or sepak with a Sacramento criminal defense attorney at our office.

For detailed information on the trial process, visit the trial and post-trial process page. Answers to some frequently asked questions for individuals facing criminal charges are listed below. These questions and answers are for informational purposes only. If you are under investigation or facing charges, contact Wise Law Group, PC today for a free consultation with a criminal defense attorney. Mr. Wise is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• Do I Need a Sexual Assault Attorney in Sacramento for Minor Charges?
• Does Conviction of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse Require Registration as a Sex Offender?
• How Can Sacramento Sexual Assault Attorneys Help When the Defendant Is Guilty?
• Why Is Statutory Rape Prosecuted so Forcefully in California?

Do I Need a Sexual Assault Attorney in Sacramento for Minor Charges?

California law and public attitudes view any sex crime allegation very seriously, and both charges and convictions can severely affect your future. Even if the charges are minor—or if you are completely innocent of all charges—experienced sexual assault attorneys are critical to every charge of sex crimes in Sacramento.

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Does Conviction of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse Require Registration as a Sex Offender?

A criminal attorney in Sacramento can make this determination based on the details of your case, but the state of California generally does not require individuals convicted of violating the 261.5 Unlawful Sexual Intercourse law to register, even if they were convicted in a state that requires registration. If they move from California to another state that requires registration, they may be required to register in that state.

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How Can Sacramento Sexual Assault Attorneys Help When the Defendant Is Guilty?

First, it is important to understand that varying degrees of guilt can apply to virtually any crime. In an extreme example, someone who witnessed a gang rape may not be considered as guilty as those who participated in the act. There can be numerous mitigating circumstances that can also affect the degree of the crime. The role of an effective sexual assault attorney in Sacramento is to uncover every underlying detail, negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecution when appropriate, and take every action needed to obtain the best possible results for the client.

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Why Is Statutory Rape Prosecuted so Forcefully in California?

An adult may not even be aware that his or her partner is under age. But California strengthened its law by initiating the 1995 Statutory Rape Vertical Prosecution Program due to some startling statistics:

• California had the highest U.S. teen pregnancy rate, with adult males fathering more than 75 percent of children born to mothers of high school age.
• Men over the age of 20 father five times the number of children born to junior high school girls than men younger than 20.
• State welfare and medical resources face excessive costs related to treating sexually transmitted diseases of teenage girls (twice that of teenage boys). In 1993, prior to the new program, the cost of teenage births alone was over $140 million.

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The state is dedicated to obtaining better control over a serious trend through laws that better address the factors that contribute to the problem.