Dealing with Juvenile Sexual Offenders in Nevada

In 2017, Nevada finally took steps to overhaul its revised statutes regarding sexual offenders to be more in line with the Adam Walsh Act of 2006. The update aimed to increase the coverage of what constitutes as a sex crime, and who can be held liable for such acts. The new provisions gave a clearer definition of juvenile sexual offenders, how to categorize them, and how to handle them.

There are a few key points with regards to Nevada's handling of juvenile sex offenders:

• Juvenile sex offenders are categorized as 15 years old and below who have committed sex crimes against people of the same age bracket.
• Juvenile sex crimes are virtually the same types as adult sex crimes, which include everything from gross lewdness to battery sexual assault.
• Penalties for juvenile sex offenders are less lenient. These penalties include home supervision, detention in a youth correction center, and community service. Nonetheless, juvenile offenders are expected to register for the sexual offender database as a matter of course.
• Juvenile sexual offenders who have committed a severe sex crime (like rape or battery sexual assault) are at risk of being put through an adult's sex crimes hearing and face the same penalties as adult sex offenders, if the prosecution wishes and the court ascents to this request. Defense attorneys will endeavor to ensure that their client will not have to face this kind of wringer and deal with worse penalties.