Maryland Student Sex Crimes Lawyer
The following is taken from an interview with a Maryland student defense attorney as they discuss the prevalence of sex offenses in Maryland and what types of sex crimes students are most likely to face. To learn more call today.
Types of Sex Crimes That Take Place On College Campuses
Unfortunately, sex crimes on campus can be very common. Sex crimes could be anything from a first degree rape charge to a fourth degree sex offense. These charges could include something as serious as being raped by another individual with a weapon to your throat all the way down to a misdemeanor sex assault for inappropriate touching of another person.
Sex crimes are extremely complex and when individuals report sex crimes to police or other authority figures, it takes detectives a long time to determine what charges are appropriate. They put a great deal of care into making sure that an individual is receiving justice but that the other person is not being unfairly or inappropriately charged.
Consequences For Sex Crimes On Campus
If something is a minor nature on the sex crime level such as, over the clothes touching or similar interactions, the penalty might not be as serious. The person may be asked to attend a class on sexual decision making or moral training.
However for a more serious offense, sex crimes are treated very seriously by colleges and universities. They usually result in the expulsion of the individual from the institution. Every university or college has its own set of standards as to how they deal with their students regarding these matters.
What About Criminal Charges?
Certain criminal charges are not handled by the university but by the court in the county where the incident took place. Generally speaking, the offenses carry anything from brief periods of probation up to life imprisonment depending on the type of charge.
In addition, sex offenses carry requirements that the individual must register on a sex offender list where a person is required to report to government authorities in their particular state. The individual convicted of a sex related crime is required to follow protocols that make the community aware they are living and/or working in a particular location. Their registration on the list ensures that local residents are aware of the particular criminal charges.
What Does a Sex Crime Charge Mean For a Student’s Academic Standing?
The academic issue is dealt with by the university. University officials approach sex crime charges in one of two ways. The first is to wait for the court system to figure out what happened and make a ruling on the issue and then the university makes its decision from there.
However, just because an individual is acquitted in a criminal courtroom does not mean the university cannot take any action. Universities are not courtrooms; they have their own handbooks and they have their own standards of proof when it comes to determining whether or not a person is properly accused and whether there is enough evidence to support it. The university’s primary concern is the safety of their students, so if an individual on campus is threatening that safety, the university will often take the appropriate action, which could be suspension or expulsion from the school altogether.
Steps Universities Have Taken To Combat Sex Crimes
There are increased surveillance systems on many university campuses throughout the state of Maryland, they have increased security guards patrolling all possible walkways, and they also have campus security numbers that people can easily call to have someone walk them to and from a campus building to their car or their dorm.
That serves as a tremendous help to students in trying to ensure that sexual assaults are minimized on university campuses.