Should Polanski get more than a time out in Switzerland? Do other statutory Rapists Get to Stay Home?

Director Roman Polanski has offered to do time--under  house arrest  in Switzerland.  Today, the New York Times reported that his French lawyer has proposed the director stay in  his Swiss villa with an ankle bracelet.  http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/lawyer-for-polanski-says-he-would-agree-to-house-arrest/ 

He wouldn't have to stay home long, So far he's served 42 days, with only 48 days of jail time remaining on his sentence.

Many of his defenders say the crime is so  out of date, the director does not deserve extradition and more punishment.

Forget whether the crime is stale or not, it's more useful to compare Polanski's sentence to others across the country.

Call it statutory rape if you want,  but sex with a 13 year old is taken pretty seriously by most of the 50 states http:www.cga.ct.gov/2003/olrdata/jud/rpt/2003-R-0376.htm Under Oklahoma law it can get  the death penalty--or up to 100 years in prison in Montana.  Several states' laws provide up to life in prison for diddling a girl--Lolita or not.  The bulk of jurisdictions suggest sentences ranging from 10-40 years.  In fact, California has one of the most lax statutory laws--sentencing is 2,3 or 4 years of prison only.  Only New Mexico takes the crime less seriously,suggesting only 18 months of  jail time. 

Now that so many 13 year olds do have consensual sex with other teenagers, many statutes now take the age differential into sentencing.  Again here Polanski doesn't compare well there.  (The laws of most states hold much harsher punishment for adults who have sex with minors under 13--that tween age seems to be a sort of mason-dixon line of sexuality.)

Maybe Polanski's petitioners think he's been treated unfairly, but compared to most men who get caught having sex with a 13 year old girl, he's gotten off very lightly.

Amy-Willard Cross