Mandatory Minimum Sentencing for Sexual Assault (H 7050, S 2230)

This bill would establish a mandatory prison sentence of ten years for first-degree sexual assault offenses. We recognize the seriousness of this crime, but mandatory sentencing undermines individualized justice and inappropriately ties the hands of judges. Just as importantly, these sentencing schemes tend to have an alternative, and just as troubling, intended effect — forcing individuals to plead to other charges for the same conduct, even if they are innocent, in order to avoid the potential imposition of a mandatory sentence. We therefore strongly urge opposition to this bill.