DB> Just to stir up some controversy: I noticed today while browsing the
 DB> online San Francisco Chronicle the State of California is resurrecting
 DB> some of the old statutory rape laws. Myself, being a child of the
 DB> 60's, don't understand what the uproar is. Kids are "dooing it" for
 DB> the most part, and have done so since the beginning of time. In
 DB> Californa a 17 year old boy and his 16 year old girlfriend caught with
 DB> their pants down will mean jail time for the boy... she 16/he 19 and
 DB> he goes into the felony tank.
It is very interesting that you brought this up. Oklahoma doesn't have to
resurrect the statutory rape laws, they are still on the books. Oklahoma
still has a felony statute of Adultery. I don't remember an adultery arrest
in Lawton, Oklahoma during my 21+ years of service. In fact, we were
specifically told not to arrest for adultery. We could apply to the District
Attorney for a warrant for adultery, but I've never heard of one being
granted. Maybe this law became unpopular because most of the lawyers would
have felony records, but it is still on the book. 
I have seen a few arrests for statutory rape in my county, but most of them
have involved fairly large age gaps. The law requires a 4 year age gap, but
I've heard of cases involving 10 and 15 years difference in age, males and
female defendants. I've not heard of any cases involving hard time unless the
case was non-consentual or involved other unusual circumstances. By unusual
circumstances, I mean something like getting the younger person stoned or
drunk first. I have mixed emotions about this law, depending upon all of the
circumstances involved. I'm probably biased because I have raised a daughter
and remember many of my feelings when she was younger.
I've heard many of the arguments for the difference in age portion of the
law and can see merit in many of the points that would be made. Example:
tall, dark, suave, debonair, 30 year old male with a fancy car sweeps 15
year old beauty off her feet for no other reason than to take advantage of
her once and dump her. I've heard the other side of the arguments also, like
the case you mention. I've not seen many of those go very far in my neck of
the woods. Many of these cases went the distance in my neck of the woods 20
years ago, and the older person actually went to prison for lengthy period of
time. Cases like you mentioned here usually involve a court order for the
older person to stay away from the younger person and probation. You are
right, this could spark a very interesting discussion.
Tom Rightmer - A Victims' Rights Advocate
... Benign: What you are after you be eight.
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
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