The stigma that comes with being charged with a sex crime can make it difficult for the accused in many aspects. Many of these crimes have received high publicity, meaning many jurors are already familiar with the case before hearing any of the details. While an experienced criminal defense attorney can help in the courtroom, many accused sex offenders are finding that they are facing potentially dangerous situations in the community.

New rules proposed in Massachusetts would dramatically impact convicted sex offenders post-release. As the rules currently stand, once a sex offender is about to be released, the state can request proceedings to determine if the offender is a sexually dangerous person.

In the five years between 2002 and 2007, 3,265 people in Massachusetts died from drug-related causes. That's more than the number of Massachusetts soldiers killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq, combined. And things aren't getting better. Some are even calling it an epidemic.

What are sentence enhancements?