Being found guilty of any crime has serious consequences, especially when that crime is a felony. But, for many types of crime, the defendants only need to serve their sentences and then they can move on with their lives. This is often not the case for those found guilty of a sex crime.
In Oregon, those found guilty of a sex crime often are sentenced to jail time followed by some sort of supervised release. However, many are also often required to register as sex offenders on the sex offender registry. The sex offender registry has many consequences. First, it can effect where a person can live. Not only does it place physical restrictions on where someone can live, many building owners may be unwilling to rent to a registered sex offender.
Second, sex offender registries can make it difficult for people to find employment. Again, many employers may simply be unwilling to hire registered sex offenders. Furthermore, status as a register sex offender may preclude people from certain employment opportunities -- like those that involved children, for example.
Third, status as a sex offender can make it difficult for some people to see their children. As a registered sex offender some people have reported not being allowed to have visitation with their children by their probation officers.
Finally, being listed on the sex offender registry can lead to additional charges in the future if rules are not carefully followed. For example, once people are on the sex offender registry, they are required to report their address after every move. If they do not, they can be arrested and charged with an additional felony.
The best way for a person to try and avoid the sex offender registry is to mount an aggressive criminal defense from the beginning of their criminal case. Sex charges should never be taken lightly and defenses may be available to mitigate potential sentences.
Source: Portland Tribune, "Danger or not, offenders labeled for life," Peter Korn, Feb. 21, 2013
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