The Dangerous Ignorance Behind “Dangerous Crimes Against Children

By Vicky Campo Representative Khyl Powell claims openly that he refuses to change his own grandchild’s diaper. House Judiciary Chair Quang Nguyen told committee he asked his wife for identification before asking her on a date. Others I speak to have similar stories. Why? Why have Arizona legislators become so afraid of basic human interaction with children and members of the opposite sex? Because at some fundamental level, they recognize how alarmingly easy it is to be swept up in Arizona’s sexual offense laws. One accusation, one misunderstanding, one click on the wrong link, and a life is forever altered. Even legislators live in fear of their own laws. I know this issue from every angle. My stepdaughter was raped in our home. My son is a registered sex offender. I’ve witnessed firsthand how these laws fail both victims and those convicted. When Legislators Don’t Understand Their Own Bills This session, Senator Janae Shamp and Representative Lupe Diaz have introduced SB1092, SB1709, SB1829, and HB2966—bills targeting those convicted of “Dangerous Crimes Against Children” (DCAC). The problem? They don’t seem to understand what DCAC actually means or who it affects. Arizona’s “Dangerous Crimes Against Children” is a sentencing enhancement triggered by one factor: the victim’s age under 15. Despite the alarming name, it’s not based on violence, weapons, or physical contact. Legal experts note that possession of digital images—what the law calls “sexual exploitation of a minor”—is among the most common charges resulting in DCAC designation. So, a 20-year-old who clicks a link, that downloads images he never produced, never distributed, involving victims he never contacted, receives the same “dangerous” label as someone who violently assaults a child. The law makes no distinction. When three mothers came into Judiciary Committee hearing rooms—Feb 11 in the House, Feb 20 in the Senate—to testify that their sons were convicted under this same scenario, legislators seemed stunned. Representatives Nguyen and Diaz asked to see case files, apparently unaware this is routine. Senator Shamp incorrectly told one mother her son wouldn’t be affected by the bill she herself sponsored. Shamp made other misleading claims too, suggesting that consideration would be given for missed probation appointments under SB1709, though her bill explicitly allows no such consideration. She repeatedly misstated facts and mislead our lawmakers. This isn’t just confusion—it’s dangerous ignorance about laws they’re making harsher. What These Bills Actually Do These bills would permanently eliminate judicial discretion to terminate probation early—even for people who’ve demonstrated decades of rehabilitation, completed treatment, and pose zero assessed risk. The message is clear: rehabilitation doesn’t matter. Evidence doesn’t matter. Individual circumstances don’t matter. Only the offense category matters. The Net Has Grown Too Wide Thirty years ago, registries tracked violent predators. Today they include teenagers who sexted, Romeo and Juliet scenarios, people with developmental disabilities who don’t understand social boundaries, and those who impulsively clicked links. The net has grown so wide that even legislators are afraid of being caught in it. We tell ourselves that “sex offenders” are monsters, easily identifiable and completely distinct from us and our loved ones. But the “sex offender” label includes hundreds of thousands of individuals, most who pose little risk to public safety—people convicted decades ago who have lived law-abiding lives ever since, first-time offenders with no history of violence, young people who made terrible choices but have never physically harmed anyone. I think we can all agree that violent predators who harm children should face serious consequences and intensive supervision. But we never imagine these same laws could ensnare our own children—our teenage daughter becoming a registered sex offender on lifetime probation for sexting her boyfriend, or our teenage son for viewing those images. The Evidence They’re Ignoring Research from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics and state corrections departments nationwide consistently demonstrates that individuals convicted of sexual offenses have among the lowest recidivism rates of any crime category—typically between 2-5% over extended follow-up periods. This means over 95% will never commit another sexual offense. By comparison, overall felony recidivism rates often exceed 60%. Yet we treat everyone identically, imposing lifetime probation and registration, residence restrictions that create homelessness, and employment barriers regardless of individual risk or demonstrated rehabilitation. This is the fundamental failure of our one-size-fits-all approach. The Cruelty Is The Point Senator Shamp has publicly vowed to make life “a living hell” for those convicted of DCAC offenses. But she’s misrepresenting who these people actually are. Many are classified by Arizona’s own criminal code as “non-dangerous” (no weapon, no force, no physical injury) and “non-repetitive” (no prior felonies)—first-time offenders who may never have touched a child. The disconnect is stark: Arizona law itself says these individuals are “non-dangerous,” yet Shamp calls them “the worst of the worst” and authors bills to ensure they can never demonstrate rehabilitation, never earn relief, never move forward—no matter what evidence shows about their actual risk. Our Children Deserve Better As a mother whose family has been devastated on every side of this issue, I can tell you emphatically: our current laws don’t work for anyone. They don’t protect children. They don’t prevent sexual abuse. They just destroy more families while diverting resources from actual predators. Sexual harm is serious. The trauma can be real and lasting. But responding with fear-based policies written by legislators who don’t understand their own bills won’t make children safer. Its unintended consequences will create more suffering without reducing risk. Take Action Now Contact your legislators today. Tell them to vote NO on SB1092, SB1709, SB1829, and HB2966. Tell them that one-size-fits-all policies that eliminate judicial discretion and ignore rehabilitation are ineffective. Our children deserve evidence-based protection that actually works—not political theater that destroys families while calling it justice.