Any criminal conviction will have an adverse effect for years to come, damaging your chance of employment or housing when it shows up in a background check. Yet, a conviction for a sex offense will place additional limits on your future.
The criminal justice system is supposed to believe that people can change. Yet, it does not take that attitude concerning specific sex crimes. In the eyes of the law and much of the public, once a sex offender, always a sex offender.
People may be able to find you on the sex offender registry
People convicted of crimes sometimes choose to move to an area where no one knows them for a fresh start. Yet, if a court puts you on the sex-offender register, that will not be possible. You will be able to move, but you will have to register with the local police every time you do.
The precise conditions that the court will place on you depend on several factors, including the offense, your previous history, and the perceived risk you pose. The court may require the police to inform the local community. Your information may also be accessible to anyone on the internet. That could include your name and address, a description and photo of you, and details of your criminal record.
California law uses a three-tiered category to determine how long you will stay on the sex offender registry. You could be on the register for 10 years, 20 years or for life. If the offense took place when you were a juvenile, a lesser period might apply.
If you are accused of a sex crime, finding out more about how you can fight them will be crucial. Your future depends on it.