Tougher laws are in the works for sex offenders in Oklahoma, and one lawmaker in particular is pushing to place further restrictions on convicted sex offenders throughout the state. Currently, in Oklahoma, registered sex offenders whose victims were age 13 or younger are banned from loitering within 500 feet of a daycare or school. State …
Tougher laws are in the works for sex offenders in Oklahoma, and one lawmaker in particular is pushing to place further restrictions on convicted sex offenders throughout the state. Currently, in Oklahoma, registered sex offenders whose victims were age 13 or younger are banned from loitering within 500 feet of a daycare or school. State Senator John Ford of Bartlesville, however, wants to change the age from 13 to 18, to include even more sex offenders in the law. As Oklahoma lawmakers take steps to expand the restrictions on where registered sex offenders can live, work and gather, those convicted of sex crimes are finding their liberties and freedoms more and more limited. If you have been charged with a sex crime in Oklahoma, don’t leave your future to chance. Contact our skilled criminal defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today to protect your legal rights.
Long-Term Consequences Sex Offender Registration
Supporters of the legislation limiting the freedoms of registered sex offenders say the bill is a no-brainer. “I’ve absolutely heard nothing against this legislation at all,” said Sen. John Ford. “The only thing [I’ve heard was] from a couple [saying] ‘Goodness! Why wasn’t it 18 earlier?’” Convicted sex offenders in Oklahoma, however, may not share this sentiment. “They make it impossible for us to live anywhere,” said one registered offender. “Every time we turn around, it’s something else…adding a new law…make it harder.” Already, sex offenders are required to register with local law enforcement and update contact information regularly, facing felony charges upon the failure to do so in a timely fashion. This latest sex offender bill was proposed by the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration, and will be assigned to a committee once the legislature begins a new session in February 2013.
Consult Our Experienced Defense Attorneys for Help
Those individuals convicted of a sex offense in Oklahoma and forced to register as a sex offender already face significant obstacles when it comes to employment and finding a place to live, and more stringent laws will only strengthen this challenge. Unfortunately for Oklahoma sex offenders, it is unlikely that the proposed law will receive much opposition; it will probably be heavily supported by parents, teachers and politicians across the state. If you are facing charges for a sex crime in Oklahoma City, or elsewhere in Oklahoma, contact our knowledgeable defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center as soon as possible. Our attorneys have experience protecting the rights of those charged with sex offenses in Oklahoma, and will work diligently to help you build a strong defense in your case.