• affiliate-logo1
  • affiliate-logo2
  • affiliate-logo3
  • affiliate-logo4
  • affiliate-logo5
  • affiliate-logo6
  • affiliate-logo7
  • Texas-Bar-Foundation-Badge

Help from a Houston Sex Crimes Attorney on De-Registering Romeo and Juliet

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 led to the creation of a national registry that keeps dossiers of all convicted sex offenders from all states, who are then required by law to regularly update the database on their current whereabouts. However, a number of Texans believe the Act is ineffective, and can sometimes do more harm than good. This brings to light some very old and extremely complicated issues about the Act.

Most people agree that states need to have laws in place to protect children from becoming victims of pedophiles and child predators. However, some sex offender registration laws involve minors who find themselves in inadvisable—albeit consensual—relationships with other minors. These accused young people sometimes find themselves swept up in laws clearly intended for predatory adults. A qualified Houston sex crimes attorney will be able to clearly explain the intricacies of sex offender registration laws in Texas.

Part of the problem with sex offender registration laws as well as underlying criminal charges in Texas, is they do not draw any meaningful distinction between sexual predators and young people (who are not dangerous and not likely to get into trouble again). Depending on the individual circumstances of the person accused, the laws can be far too harsh. A lawyer with an excellent track record can sometimes persuade a prosecutor or judge that special treatment may be warranted, depending on the case.

Mary Sue Molnar, the founder of Texas Voices, wants to see changes in some of the laws. “So we’re looking at a lifetime label of ‘sex offender’ for someone who is doing what people have done throughout the ages,” she said. “I mean we’re talking about the Romeo & Juliet type of offenders.”

Molnar said that there are roughly 63,000 sex offenders on Texas’ registry, which makes it difficult to focus on those who are truly violent and dangerous. “We’re less safe because law enforcement is wasting time and resources on people who pose no threat to anyone,” she adds. Fortunately, Molnar’s group has found support from a Dallas lawmaker who wants to see the tough sex registration laws loosen up a bit.

In fact, State Rep. Roberto Alonzo of Dallas agrees that some sexual offenses are not serious enough to merit registration status. He filed a bill in the last Texas legislative session which would have given first-time sex offenders the ability to petition to courts to either shorten their registration periods or have them completely waived. He reportedly filed the bill based on a request by a Dallas Judge who got fed up by the volume of low-risk offenders brought in on minor violations.

Mary Sue Molnar knows there’s a long way to go before the system can be perfected. In the meantime, if you find yourself facing a sexual assault charge, discussing it with a reputable Houston sexual assault lawyer like the ones at Scheiner Law Group, P.C. would be your best immediate course of action.