Many young, first-time sex offenders are not pedophiles or predators.
We ask for legislation which provides an opportunity for re-evaluation, on a case-by-case basis,
as part of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s strategy to improve the criminal justice system .
We do not diminish in any way the seriousness of the offense nor the suffering of the victim.
Unintended innocent victims (the spouses and children of one who offended as a teen):
What relief could be given?
Wiser use of Tennessee tax dollars:
Justice funds for sex offenders can be better used to address the more oft-repeated crimes of
How could this “re-evaluation” be done?
Return to the sentencing court judge. Why? see example: Mandatory minimum sentencing laws often leave judges with little discretion at sentencing.
Or, the Governor can commute one’s sentence to a lower charge, without the current lifetime restrictions.