Juveniles As Sex Offenders Essay

Whether or not to label a juvenile as a sex offender is not an easy question to answer. Many states treat juveniles differently than adults, Edwards (n.d.) stated: With a steadfast focus on rehabilitation and confidentiality, the justice system has sought to preserve the premise that juvenile offenders are not miniature adults. But Edwards goes on to say: Yet, when a juvenile is adjudicated on a sex offense, Oregon makes no meaningful distinction between an adult and juvenile offender therefore juveniles must register on the same list as adults. According to Siegel & Welsh (2015), if juveniles are deemed delinquents then they are labeled as sex offenders and may have to register as such after their release (p. 176). On one hand I can understand …show more content…
I say this because I was a victim of a crime that was of a sexual nature (unwanted sexual touching and fondling). The man responsible for this crime was related to me by marriage, a cousin’s husband, who was also sexually abusing (rape and child pornography) a few of my cousins. Later we found out he had a many victims that went way back. Because of when these crimes took place, 1970 – 1980, he was never formally brought up on charges but asked to leave the area and never return. In those days the public shame card was used on victims and their families in regards to sexual abuse cases therefore not very many actually went to court or were ever reported. A few years back my mother was being seen at a local emergency room and in the next room, which was divided by a curtain, was a young teenage girl having complications due to being pregnant. The father of this baby who was also in the room with her, happened to be the relative who abused me and other members of my family. Now this young girl was maybe 13 years old and the relative was about 50 years old. I’m wondering if this person was charged and labeled as a “sex offender” early on in his life would he have been able to continue abusing children well into