Types of Oakland Sex Crimes

A sex crime is an offense of a sexual nature, whether that is photographing someone with their private areas exposed, exposing a person’s private parts to others, inappropriate touching, and forcible contact. Sex crimes also include human trafficking, prostitution, and unwanted penetration, whether it is genital, digital or with an object. There are many types of Oakland sex crimes, which range from misdemeanors to felonies. For more information about the different sex crimes and the penalties, consult with an experienced attorney.

Common Sex Crimes in Oakland

As mentioned above, there are many different types of Oakland sex crimes. Some of the most commonly seen sex offenses include:

• Indecent exposure
• Statutory and/or forcible rape
• Sexual abuse
• Sexual battery
• Prostitution
• Human trafficking
• Lewd conduct
• Child molestation
• Child Pornography

It is essential for an individual arrested for one of these offenses to reach out to a well-established lawyer right away.

Felony and Misdemeanors

The degrees of sexual offenses are misdemeanors or felonies, with the vast majority of offenses being felonies. Most of the sex crimes involving minors are going to be charged as a felony. Also, any sexual offense involving force or inappropriate touching like penetration will be treated as a felony whether it involves forced oral copulation, forcible rape, or sodomy. A conviction for a felony sex crime is going to involve several years in prison and expensive fines.

The types of Oakland sex crimes treated as misdemeanors are the solicitation of a prostitute or the actual act of prostitution. Some statutory rape crimes are considered misdemeanors, such as if there is only a three-year age difference between the minor and the adult. Whether a defendant is facing a misdemeanor or a felony, it is important that they obtain the services of an attorney.

Investigating Sex Crimes

Sex crimes are a sensitive case type and that makes the investigation for these cases different. If there is a child involved in the offense then investigators have to be very cautious and delicate with handling interviews. There are restrictions on how evidence involving a child can be viewed, gathered, and presented. In this case, there are added layers of protection such as referencing the child by Jane or John Doe, ensuring that the parent or legal guardians have given permission to conduct the interview, and not adding to the trauma that the child may have experienced by the nature of being involved in a court case at a young age.

During a sex crime investigation, there is also an in-depth exploration of the alleged harmed individual’s background. An investigator will check to see if the person has been in trouble at school, if they have been arrested, or if there is any information about pre-existing medical conditions. The investigation is not about blaming the person but about getting to the truth of the matter and determining whether the harmed individual is a reliable and credible source of information. To learn more about investigations and the different types of Oakland sex crimes, contact a skilled and knowledgeable lawyer today.