For most people, few things are more off-putting than finding out that someone you are dealing with is a convicted sex offender. Sex crimes are considered to be among the most harmful intrusions into another person’s life. New Jersey imposes punishments for sex crime charges that include lifetime supervision and registration with the state as a sex offender, even after completing lengthy prison sentences in some cases.
When sex offenders are released from incarceration, they are also expected to function as contributing members of society. Many find that their potential is limited because their identity as a convicted sex offender follows them wherever they go. The New Jersey Sex Offender Internet Registry and individuals’ criminal records are available to the public. Employers, landlords, loan officers, school admissions officers, and others who run background checks can find a convicted sex offender’s record with just a few clicks on a computer.
At the Law Offices of Jonathan Marshall, we defend the rights of accused sex offenders. We recognize that all defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We do not judge our clients. We have seen the long-term impact of sex crime convictions. We urge anyone accused of a sex crime in New Jersey to contact a sex crime defense attorney for experienced legal assistance without delay.
Social Stigma and Repercussions After a Sex Crime Conviction
Many states and communities have restrictions on where convicted sex offenders can live. New Jersey does not have a statewide law restricting the residency of sex offenders, but many NJ municipalities and townships bar offenders from living near places such as schools and parks. Additionally, federal law prohibits anyone on a state sex offender registry from living in public housing.
“While these laws are intended to increase public safety, they often make community re-entry especially challenging for those who have been convicted of sex offenses,” says a November 2022 report by Policy Research Associates, Inc., a nonprofit devoted to behavioral health research.
“These restrictions can make finding a legal place to live virtually impossible for individuals on the sex offender registry. This, in turn, pushes some individuals into homelessness, a known contributor to recidivism after re-entry.”
Another study published in November 2022 points out that steady employment is a cornerstone of most community probation programs, especially for sex offenders. Individuals who cannot find employment are more likely to re-offend, particularly if they go a year or more without a job, researchers said. “Yet, obtaining employment is even more problematic for those who have committed sexual offenses.”
Regardless of what an employer may think or want to do, sex offenders often cannot be employed by schools, daycare centers, or anywhere where caring for children is a part of the job. Some companies have specific policies in place that prevent hiring anyone convicted of any felony.
People convicted of sex crimes are likely to lose custodial rights during divorce and child custody hearings. Under N.J.S.A. § 9:2-4.1(a) and (b), any person convicted of sexual assault or criminal sexual contact cannot be awarded custody or visitation rights to any minor child, “except upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that it is in the best interest of the child for custody or visitation rights to be awarded.”
The Consequences of a Sex Crime on Families of Offenders
Research suggests that families of sex offenders experience challenges related to housing and employment while the offender is imprisoned.
In “An exploration of the challenges families experience when a family member is convicted of sex offense,” Michelle Brown, a Master of Philosophy candidate at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, said that among family members she surveyed, since their loved one’s incarceration:
- 17% said their work situation had changed negatively
- 2% said work colleagues have behaved differently towards me
- 2% said neighbors have behaved differently toward me
- 8% said they had to change their housing situation
Family members who worked with children promptly lost their jobs. For example, Amy, a relative of a sex offender, was working with children and was no longer able to continue in this field, even though the conviction was not related to her workplace.
For relatives of sex offenders living in small communities, the decision about retaining anonymity is taken out of their hands, with a consequent impact on the individual’s employment, Brown wrote.
“The limited research available suggests that the families of sex offenders experience substantial economic, sociological, and psychological challenges,” she wrote.
Another study by academics at three U.S. universities, Shame and blame: Secondary stigma among families of convicted sex offenders, asserts that “the stigma of a criminal conviction is most apparent among families of convicted sex offenders, who experience consequences parallel to those of their convicted relative.… The findings suggest that families face negative treatment from social networks and criminal justice officials, engage in self-blame, and that the media’s control over the narrative exacerbates family members’ experiences.”
If you or your family member is facing sex crime charges in New Jersey, you need the guidance of a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of Jonathan Marshall.
Contact a New Jersey Sex Crime Defense Attorney
If you have been arrested for any type of sex crime in New Jersey, exercise your right to remain silent and contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner you get a sex crime defense attorney from the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall working on your case, the sooner we can challenge the evidence against you or how you were arrested.
You want to avoid the potential lifelong impact of a sex crime conviction. Contact the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall online or at (856) 565-3635 from anywhere in New Jersey for a free initial legal consultation.
