There are some types of crimes, especially those involving sexual assault, where one of the main issues a prosecutor and a sentencing Court are concerned with, is whether your behavior is repetitive and compulsive. In essence, what is the likelihood that you will ‘do it again’.
As a N.J. criminal defense lawyer, I frequently start a defense in a case involving sexual assault with having my client evaluated to determine what caused the behavior, whether this was an anomaly to the client’s typical behavior, and a baseline risk assessment to evaluate the likelihood of any repetitive behavior on the part of the client. As a component of a defense strategy, I have found this approach to offer several benefits to the client, even if the client is asserting their innocence to the charged criminal offenses, so long as the client takes the counseling seriously and is committed to completing it until discharged. In this regard, an opinion by the Doctor that is categorized as being accurate to a degree of medical certainty is priceless.
In addition to arguing legal issues that arise from the State’s case, this type of approach gives me an additional argument to attempt to resolve the case in a way that provides the client with the best outcome. If the State’s case against the client is strong, or if the client has told me that they committed the offense, this gives me a starting point to have the client begin a counseling/therapeutic treatment program that I can use to convince the prosecutor that my client is not a risk of re-offense. If the client has told me that they are innocent, the risk assessment and counseling do not harm the client’s case, and provides me with a chance to convince the State that the Doctor’s opinion should be considered in evaluating the strength of the State’s case and potentially in determining whether to offer a diversion of the case into a program like pre-trial intervention.
In the worst of circumstances, where the client acknowledges guilt and the State has a compelling case, these types of assessments and pro-active counseling can be raised with the prosecutor during plea negotiations to get a reduced sentencing recommendation, and then raised as a mitigating factor with the Judge at sentencing. In the best of circumstances, where the client asserts innocence and the State’s case is weak, these type of actions by the client can make the difference in a diversion or a dismissal of the charges.
#sexualassault #sentencing #defenselawyer
___________________________________________________________________________________________
The information contained in this blog post is intended as marketing, not advertising, as is more fully stated in the Disclaimer Page of this blog site. This post is strictly intended for general informational purposes only, and DOES NOT constitute legal advice on any legal matter in N.J. or in any other jurisdiction.
No attorney-client relationship is intended, offered or established by this information, even if it is similar in nature to a situation you are facing. Should you be confronted with a criminal prosecution or investigation, you are strongly advised to consult immediately with an experienced criminal defense lawyer licensed in the State or jurisdiction where the charges are filed, with whom you will have an attorney-client relationship, and can obtain legal advice on how to best handle your issues. This direct consultation should be done before you make any decisions in regards to your legal issue.
NJ Law Talk 