Jim Sensenbrenner: “I rise in support of H.R. 2146, the Two Strikes and You're Out Child Protection Act. This bill would establish a…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 2146, the Two Strikes and You're Out Child Protection Act. This bill would establish a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment for twice-convicted child sex offenders. The bill states that any person convicted of a Federal sex offense against a person under the age of 17 who has been previously convicted of a similar offense at the State or Federal level would be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment. The term 'Federal sex offense' includes various crimes of sexual abuse committed against children and the interstate transportation of minors for sexual purposes. According to the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics, since 1980 the number of persons sentenced for violent sexual assault other than rape increased annually by an average of nearly 15 percent, which is faster than any other category of violent crime. Of the estimated 95,000 sex offenders in State prisons today, well over 60,000 most likely committed their crime against a child under age 17. Compounding this growing problem is the high rate of recidivism among sex offenders. A review of frequently cited studies of sex offender recidivism indicates that offenders who molest young girls repeat their crimes at rates up to 25 percent and offenders who molest young boys at rates up to 40 percent. Moreover the recidivism rates do not appreciably decline as offenders age.”