Being convicted of any crime is, in its own right, something that is bound to follow you long after you’ve done your time. That being said, research suggests there are certain convictions that seem to be viewed far more negatively in society…and for much longer.

Sex crimes are among the worst. This is because while, yes, there are legal penalties attached to sex crime convictions, there are also significant social penalties.

The unique and unparalleled stigma surrounding sex crime convictions can be likened to suffering an entirely new set of repercussions after an offender’s criminal sentence is already complete.

First, let’s cover what the law says about sex crimes in Connecticut. Then, let’s take a look at what happens beyond criminal conviction and sentencing.

Connecticut Sex Crime Laws and Penalties

There are a wide variety of crimes that fall under the sex crime label. In general, sex crimes are any crime that involves unwanted sexual contact. Connecticut’s sex crime laws cover a range of illegal activities from verbal harassment to rape to trafficking.

Sexual Harassment and Stalking

Verbal sexual harassment becomes a crime when intent to make the victim annoyed, alarmed, or otherwise feel harassed exists. This behavior can easily be elevated to charges of stalking.

Traveling places or otherwise tracking a victim, or even providing unwanted gifts, can be considered stalking. Any situation where a reasonable person might fear for their safety or suffer emotional distress may be considered a crime.

First-time offenders may be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, but beyond a first offense, you’re subject to felony charges.

Non-violent Sexual Assault

Actual physical contact leads to sexual assault charges. The most basic nonviolent sexual assault is considered fourth-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor in most circumstances.

This crime is defined as making sexual contact with someone without their consent. The punishment for this crime is up to $2,000 in fines and a year in jail. It is also one of the most common reasons offenders wind up on the Connecticut sex offender registry.

Sexually Violent Crimes

Sexually violent crimes are the next step up and often require mandatory lifetime registration with the Connecticut sex offender registry.

A third-degree sexual assault, for example, involves a firearm and becomes a Class C felony.

Another Class C felony sex crime? Second-degree sexual assault. This involves sexual intercourse where one person is in a position of power over the other.

Think high-profile cases where a teacher became sexually involved with a student, or a therapist wound up in a sexual relationship with a client. These crimes can result in up to ten years in jail and $10,000 in fines, as well as lifetime inclusion on the sex offender registry.

The list goes on and the maximum penalties only increase, but in most cases beyond these examples, besides decades behind bars and tens of thousands owed in fines?

You’re looking at life on Connecticut’s sex offender registry, and that means more than you might think…

You’re More Than Just a Felon After a CT Sex Crime Conviction

You’re a registered offender — depending upon the nature of the conviction, that is. Listen — fines can be paid, and sentences served, but when you are required to register, Connecticut’s sex offender registry can wind up being the most permanent part of your sex crime conviction.

In fact, many offenders are required to remain listed for life. That equates to a loss of privacy that goes unmatched. Your address must be placed online, where anyone can search for it. Your name is listed on public databases, and you are required to disclose your presence to your neighbors.

So let’s talk stigma.

Labeling Theory

As you would imagine, most folks are deeply biased against convicted sex offenders without ever even wanting to know an offender’s side of the story.

According to a 2014 published report covering “Labeling Theory,” the sex offender label prescribed by a registry marks an “individual as criminal, inferior, immoral, and evil” and that they are subsequently “separated from society and stigmatized.”

The study goes on to explain that “stigmatization results in the subsequent transformation of social status to one that is below the rest of society [and] this status change is often permanent and leads to the notion that the deviant subject is an outsider.”

Probably not what you were expecting after your release.

How This Stigma Can Affect Your Life Outside of Prison

It’s an understatement to say it — you’re unlikely to receive a warm reception from anyone who knows your history.

Being on the Connecticut sex offender registry affects where you can live and what jobs you can do. In fact, landlords are well within their rights to refuse housing to you based on your conviction status.

Ultimately, fighting sex crime charges from the start is your best chance of avoiding these consequences. A knowledgeable Connecticut criminal lawyer will help you fight to protest your innocence. Avoiding the harshest of penalties, social and criminal, is always worth the fight.

Being convicted of a sex crime in Connecticut is already difficult enough — especially when facing friends and family. As a part of your sentence, you may have even been required to register as a sex offender.

There are a wide variety of acts that can land you on the CT sex offender registry, and those crimes are grouped into three main categories: sexual violence, sex crimes involving minors, and non-violent offenses.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common convictions that carry the requirement to register as a sex offender. If you still have questions about your specific case afterward — don’t hesitate to reach out to an experienced Connecticut criminal defense attorney.

Sexually Violent Offenses

Any time a court deems a sex crime as violent, there will be a requirement to register as a sex offender with the state of Connecticut. Most often they are categorized as “sexual assault.”

Some of those include first-degree sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, and sexual assault against a spouse. Third-degree sexual assault, with and without a firearm, also qualifies as a sexually violent offense.

Generally speaking, sexual assault and other violent sex crimes require you to register for at least ten years on a first conviction. Plan on a lifetime registry if this isn’t your first time being convicted.

Sexual Acts With a Minor

This category covers the broadest scope of sex crimes — everything from incest to child porn. Convictions are sometimes even secured without an offender ever even having contact with an actual child. Here are a few examples:

• First-degree sexual assault of a minor (in this case, 13 years of age or younger) by someone two years older or more requires automatic lifetime registration on the offender registry.
• Second-degree sexual assault can land someone on the list, usually for no more than 10 years.
• Third-degree sexual assault charges requiring registration (length of time depends on other factors in your case) can accompany sex acts with a family member (incest).

Promoting prostitution with a minor is another qualifying crime. Additionally, possessing child pornography, enticing a minor through a computer, or employing a minor in an obscene performance will also put a perpetrator’s name on the registry for ten years.

Non-Violent Sex Crimes in Connecticut

These offenses also generally carry a 10-year sentence to the registry for an initial offense, with a lifetime sentence being given for second offenses.

Voyeurism

Voyeurism occurs when a person maliciously films, photographs, or otherwise records a person, without their permission, in a situation where the victim would expect privacy (e.g. a bathroom, a hotel room when they’re alone, etc.).

When the act is committed for the purpose of sexual gratification, it is a felony in Connecticut. The court does have discretion in regard to whether you will be required to register as a sex offender in this state.

Fourth-Degree Sexual Assault

Other forms of sexual assault include fourth-degree sexual assault. This entails repeatedly subjecting someone to sexual contact without their consent and can include what some perceive as victimless crimes like flashing.

Sex Offender Registration Can Negatively Impact Your Life

Landing on the sex offender registry can seriously impact your life. Offenders must register their names, upload a photo of themselves, and provide personal contact information (including a physical address) with the registry.

This registry is then available to the public to search, which means friends, neighbors, and employers would be able to find anyone registered on the list – including you.

Your best chance to avoid any impact at all is to work with an experienced Connecticut sex crime defense attorney before a judgment has been made on your case.

Once a sentence has been handed down, however, skip this step and face even graver consequences. Failure to register, or to even update information in a timely manner, is an additional felony and can result in a five-year prison sentence.