If you are convicted on allegations of child pornography, statutory rape, solicitation of a minor or other similar sex-related criminal offenses, you are facing a very difficult and uncertain future. One thing that many people in this position will undoubtedly face, however, is incarceration as part of their sentence.
The length, level and destination of imprisonment depend on the details of your offense, as well as your criminal history. In some cases, a person may be sentenced to a prison with treatment programs available for sex offenders, while others will be housed with and treated like any other type of convicted criminal.
If it is determined that you are at a high-risk for re-offending and suffer from conditions that have contributed to your behaviors, you may be sentenced to a facility with a treatment program. These treatment programs are designed to specifically treat sex offenders on either a residential or non-residential basis. The Federal Bureau of Prisons notes that housing high-risk offenders in these facilities helps them deal with their concerns in a more open and targeted environment.
Those who participate in these programs have access to rehabilitation services, counseling and transition services to make it easier for them to re-build their lives upon release. There are nine facilities across the U.S. where these treatment programs are offered, one of which is right here in Florida.
However, many people convicted of a sex offense will end up in a federal corrections facility without these resources. They can be in a very vulnerable position within the prison due to the nature of their offenses, and could be at risk of being attacked or assaulted in prison.
The reality for people convicted of a sex offense is that they are treated harshly by the courts, the prison system and even communities upon release. This is why any person accused of a sex offense will want to take the charges and their defense very seriously. Fighting against conviction and working to minimize punishment through negotiation or litigation can be essential in protecting yourself from the potentially ruinous consequences of a conviction.