The Increasing Need to Reform Rape Laws - 771 Words

Rape is one of the most widespread and ubiquitous violent crimes facing America, making laws regarding rape and the judicial processing of rape increasingly important. The judicial process itself deters both rape reports and rape convictions. Not only does the judicial processing or rape cases itself deter reports and convictions, but it also has a negative impact on the moral and mental well being of the victims who decide to pursue their cases. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, â€Å"there is an average of 237,868 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year.† It is estimated that â€Å"out of every 100 rapes, 40 get reported to the police, 10 lead to an arrest, 8 get prosecuted, 4 lead to a felony conviction† and â€Å"3 rapists will spend even a single day in prison.† Furthermore, â€Å"about 95% of† the four percent of felony â€Å"convictions are obtained by way of a plea agreement† rather than thr ough trial. In some states, like â€Å"California, there is a higher acquittal rate for rape than for any other felony (926). Rape, as defined by the Uniform Crime Reporting Program in 2011, is â€Å"penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.† This differs from the previous definition of rape, â€Å"first established in 1927, ‘the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.’ It thus included only forcible male penileShow MoreRelatedImmigration Reform Of The United States1397 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1986, the United States enacted The Immigration Reform and Control Act which made it illegal to hire illegal immigrants. This is by far the biggest reform made in recent history. Immigration reform is simply making changes to a country’s immigration policies for the better. 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The divorce courts were first established inRead MoreLast week the White House released a short, celebrity packed, 60-second public service announcement2600 Words   |  11 Pagesit fails to encompass central issues of rape culture: societal perceptions, the victim, and the justice system. Sexual assault is a phenomenon that has been around for centuries. The culture of sexual assault is rooted in both legal practices and societal perceptions; in order for its reforms to be effective, they need to target both aspects of rape culture, as one factor by itself is not enough to maintain reforms and foster needed change. The culture of rape—how it is defined, its victims and itsRead MoreThe Culture of Sexual Assault as Reflected in the 1970s Rape Law Reforms3714 Words   |  15 Pageslegal practices and societal perceptions. 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As prisons become more occupied, the living conditions, health, and treatment of prisoners starts to deteriorate, which has become a trend over the last few decades. However, President Obama has noticed this prison environment and has taken a stand in saying that something needs to be done about it. Though manyRead MoreThe Epidemic Of The Hiv Virus1747 Words   |  7 Pagesdevouring the lives of innocent people, typically in Africa, where people are especially prone to acquiring AIDS. South Africa, having one of the highest amounts of rape crimes in the world, is also home to the highest amount of people living with HIV in the world, at about 6.8 million people(Web, HIV AIDS SA). With such a high amount of rape crimes and drug use, the spread of the HIV virus can move rapidly across the nation. It could take anywhere from 5-10 years for the HIV v irus to adapt into AIDSRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty1310 Words   |  6 PagesSir Thomas Dale, implemented the Divine, Moral, and Martial Laws that made death the penalty for minor offenses such as stealing grapes, killing chickens, killing dogs/horses without permission, or trading with Indians. Under the Capital Laws of New-England that went into effect between 1636-1647 the death penalty was melted out for pre-meditated murder, sodomy, witchcraft, adultery, idolatry, blasphemy, assault in anger, rape, statutory rape, man stealing, perjury in a capital trial, rebellion, manslaughterRead MoreA New Sentencing Reform For The United States1190 Words   |  5 PagesSentencing Reform America holds 16.3 trillion dollars in debt and the debt will continue to increase for the next twenty years. Arizona is not far behind with the accumulating debt of 42.7 billion dollars. 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