The Severe Penalties For Sex Crime Convictions
Sex crime penalties in Colorado are particularly harsh because the law has been written and is applied under the assumption that most adult sex offenders cannot be cured of their deviant sexual preferences. As a result, sentencing for sex crimes – namely felony sex crimes – typically involves some combination of incarceration for extended periods of time, court-ordered supervision (in the form of probation or parole) and long-term treatment.
Mandatory prison time for sex crime convictions will generally come into play when:
- An individual is considered to be high risk because, for example, he has a history of deviant sexual behavior
- An individual has prior sex crime convictions on his criminal record
- An individual has violated the terms of his probation or parole by, for example, failing to register as a sex offender with the Colorado sex offender registry
- The sex offense in question involves a victim who was a child and a pattern of unlawful sexual contact with that child and/or when force or threats have been used in the commission of the sex crime
Indeterminate Sentencing For Sex Crimes
Unlike in other states, in Colorado, felony sex crime penalties involve what is known as indeterminate sentencing, which means that:
- A mandatory minimum prison sentence will be handed down in the case.
- The upper limit for incarceration is left open-ended, with the maximum possible period of imprisonment being life.
- Once a convicted individual has served his minimum sentence, the Colorado parole board will decide whether that individual should serve additional time (and, if so, what the new mandatory minimum will be) or whether to release the person on parole.
- Once a person is released on parole, the courts will decide how long that court-ordered supervision shall last.
Given that sex crime penalties can last a lifetime, it’s crucial that those accused of any sex offense in Colorado work with the experienced Denver sex crimes defense lawyers at Flesch & Beck Law to ensure that they have the best chances of resolving their cases as favorably as possible.
Denver Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys At Flesch & Beck Law
While our trusted Denver sex crimes attorneys are skilled at aggressively defending the rights of the accused both inside and outside of the courtroom, we are also fiercely committed to helping our clients achieve the best possible resolution to their cases. To set up a free initial consultation, call us at 720-689-0322.