Sex crimes in Michigan could carry tougher penalties under bills the Michigan House of Representatives passed Wednesday to allow possible life sentences for first- through third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Under current law, only first-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum life sentence. Second- and third-degree charges carry a maximum prison term of 15 years. Representative Tom Kuhn (R-Troy) co-sponsors the package. He said the longer sentences would keep Michiganders safe.
“These bills are to protect victims. Victims of sexual assault, victims of sexual predators, and sending a clear message that those kind of criminal conduct will be punished,” Kuhn said.
The package would also set mandatory minimums for the three most serious sexual assault charges.
First-degree counts would carry a minimum 15-year term. Convictions for second-degree would see a 10-year minimum sentence. Third-degree convictions would mean at least five years in prison.
House Judiciary Committee Chair Sarah Lightner (R-Springport), who used to work as a paralegal in defense law, said she’s all for that.
“There’s certain things people do that are crimes against humanity that I don’t think they should ever see the light of day quite frankly,” Lightner said during a committee meeting Wednesday morning before House session.
The bills faced criticism from Democrats who argued increasing the punishment alone wouldn’t do much to support sexual assault survivors.
Democratic state Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) revealed during committee that she herself has faced sexual abuse. In a press release, she accused her Republican colleagues of playing politics with the issue.
“The bill sponsors and the entire House Republican Caucus were using the crime of sexual abuse as a political football. This was and is a sick attempt to get the Democrats they perceive as politically vulnerable on the record against longer penalties for sexual abuse. It’s the same old 'soft on crime' sideshow that politicians have dragged out in moments of desperation for as long as I’ve been alive,” Hope said in her statement.
During committee she tried unsuccessfully to tie passage of the tougher sentences legislation to bills that would extend the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct and a House resolution to investigate the late and well-connected sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to the Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Hope called the sentencing bills “disingenuous” and “not well researched.” “There’s very little research connecting sentences with the occurrence of a crime. There’s very little evidence suggesting that they deter crime,” Hope said during the meeting. Some Democrats and one Republican voted against the bills on the House floor. The legislation now goes to the Democratic-controlled state Senate.
