Arizona Voters Approve Measure Providing Life Sentences for Child Sex Traffickers

The new law sends “a clear message that Arizona will not tolerate child sex trafficking.” But will it effectively deter crime?

Arizona voters passed Proposition 313, which would impose a life sentence on anyone convicted of child sex trafficking.

The measure effectively stamps anyone found guilty of the crime with a life behind bars, leaving them with none of the judicial discretion that currently allows sentences of seven to life in prison, depending on the facts of the case.

Lawyers applaud the adoption of the measure as follows: inside Words from Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes“A clear message that Arizona will not tolerate child sex trafficking. “The severity of these sentences reflects our determination to protect children.”

Opponents of the law He said a life sentence was not a deterrent and would harm those it was intended to protect.

Even though he was clearly the victim and not the perpetrator, he was found guilty and imprisoned.

“It is common for sex trafficking victims to be coerced or coerced into trafficking others.” “We are absolutely certain that the victims will be sentenced to life in prison for the acts they were coerced into doing,” said Jenna Panas, CEO of the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence.

In his memory, Believe mevictims’ advocate Andrea Powell describes cases of young girls who were forced to comply and help their traffickers under threat of torture or death. A girl named “Tiffany” was sentenced to 30 years in prison for doing what she was forced to do by being beaten multiple times, stabbed, and nearly run over by her angry trafficker. Even though he was clearly the victim and not the perpetrator, he was found guilty and imprisoned.

As Ms. Powell writes: “Three words. I had. With.”

Tiffany’s story is one of many similar stories repeated throughout the court system.

another one The argument critics make against mandatory life imprisonment is that focusing on after-the-fact punishment neglects prevention. Measures such as disrupting human trafficking networks like Ms. Powell’s, protecting vulnerable populations, increasing surveillance, and creating safe communities for victims Karana Rising Non-profit organizations can all make real change in eradicating the scourge of sex trafficking.

David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, said: observations“Arrests provide great publicity. But it is only through a comprehensive multi-disciplinary mobilization of the child welfare, social service, drug rehabilitation and education systems – working with law enforcement – that we can address the issue of youth trafficking or selling sex for money and survival.”

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