Child Molestation

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On June 28, 1990, Mark E. Jones, a public school teacher from California, was charged with twenty-eight counts of lewd (lustful) conduct with four boys under the age of fourteen. Two of those boys, Sammy and Bobby, were his adopted sons and the other two boys, Andrew and Kenny, resided in the same neighborhood as him. Jones had oral intercourses with these children for two years before being arrested. In his trial, Jones denied the allegations and said that his two sons and Andrew were trying to accuse him of the molestation because he caught them performing the acts on each other (Jones). At the end of the trial, Jones was found guilty on twelve counts of lewd conduct, found not guilty of twelve counts, hung jury on three counts, and one count was dismissed before the trial. Jones was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In the United States, we have many different culture groups and traditions. Inside those culture groups they have their own beliefs. Some are accepted and some are not. One belief that is not accepted in all races is child molestation. In this paper, these topics will be discussed: the definition of child molestation, the persons who are usually the perpetrators, the signs and effects of child molestation, and the consequences if one is caught doing this act. What is Child Molestation? There are many definitions for child molestation, now known as child sexual abuse, but they all have one clear meaning: sexual contact with a child. Even if one was to have consent with that child, he or she is still committing a crime because the child is under the age of 14. One does not have to actually have a physical intercourse with the child for it to be considered sexual abuse. Touching a child’s private areas, looking ... ... middle of paper ... ...of Sexual Abuse." Recognizing Signs of Sexual Abuse. Child and Family Institute, 2001. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Kennedy v. Louisiana. 128 Google Scholar. Supreme Court of the United States. 2008. Google Scholar. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . People v. Jones, 792 P. 2d 643 - Cal: Supreme Court 1990. Supreme Court of California. 28 June 1990. Google Scholar. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Polusny, Melissa A., and Victoria M. Follette. "Long-term Correlates of Child Sexual Abuse: Theory and Review of the Empirical Literature. Cambridge University Press, 1995. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. US Legal. "Child Sexual Molestation Law & Legal Definition." Child Sexual Molestation Law & Legal Definition. US Legal, 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

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