Justice

The law is create to give everyone fair justice, but is the law clear itself? Juan Martin is now 30 living under the a bridge of Miami because of a crime he convicted 12 years ago. A crime that Martin claim he did not commit. He was only 19 at the time, who flash a 16 years old and was sent 2 years in jail. He now has a criminal record that show sex offender. Forcing him to call under bridge home. How is flashing a teenage girl, when he is only 19 the same as child pornography, rape, statutory rape, and child sexual abuse? I feel that laws pertaining to sex offender should be revised to consider age of criminal and the offense commited.
The law stated that criminal who convicted a sex offense crime at the age 17 and up is sentenced the same according to Spokane Sheriff’s Department( SSD). That means that if a criminal who is 19 like Martin at the time is charge the same as he would be if he commited this crime at 30. That I disagree with. In the state of Washington the legal age to be considered as an adult is 18. Dartmouth News study shows that scientists have learned and proven significant changes in brain structure continue after age 18. And does not start developing adulthood before ages 18. So why not change the charges to broader age range. To be more fair and serves justice. Criminals of commited a sex offense crime recieves this on their record for life. Which is not fair to Martin who was 19. I feel that , at that age it should be a lesson well learned. Just like Martin who ‘s life was ruined and could not start over because society would not give him the opportunity base upon what is record is label and not know what type or kind of offense he commited.

Pierce County Sheriff(PCS) websites says that there are 3 types of offense. Theres level 1 which states that they are a low risk to the community and the likelyhood of them committing this crime again is minimal. Most of the criminal have successfully participated in a program and for some of them this is their first offense. Level 2 offense is a criminal who has a moderate risk to the community and more than likely to reoffend if compared to Level 1. Some of these criminal have fail to attend treatment and wont take drugs to change lifestyle so they can prevent this crime from happening again. Level 3 offenders are a threat to the community. Most have privious sex crime history and fails to seek treatment. Now if I did not look at PCS website I would never new there was such classification. PCS create a website by law they need to post pictures and the kind of offense, but not clearly stating what kind of offense besides the levels next to their pictures for citizens to beaware who lives by them. But all of this is just levels of offense and not clearly stating the kind of offense. Its sad to see that sex offender definition on PCS is so broad. It could be kidnapping, rape, child molestation etc. all label under sex offenders. PCS may charge each crime differently, but on criminal record it’s under label one name. If Martin crimal background check was stated differently besides sex offender. Maybe he would beable to get a job and to be allowed to live in certain neighborhoods. People may take his offense lightly if they new more about his offense.

The law is just not fair to sex offenders. They do deserve to be punishing, but there should be a barrier between age and the type of crime is committed. The law need to be revised to give opportunity for people like Martin to start over once he fulfilled his sentenced so that instead of living out in the streets because his crime is not labeled clearly. He could afford to get a job and housing.

http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ourorg/sheriff/sexoffendersearch.htm

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2006/02/06.html

http://scso.spokanesheriff.org/