Charges of sexual misconduct carry extremely serious penalties, and these crimes are commonly punished more severely than any other crime except murder. Sexual misconduct is seldom witnessed by anyone other than the accuser and the accused. The risk of conviction of an innocent person is drastically higher in these cases.

Accusations of unwanted sexual advances and child molestation are often investigated and prosecuted without sufficient evidence. Sometimes extremely relevant evidence is excluded from trial, such as an accuser's past sexual conduct.

Sexual misconduct cases require a combination of effective legal counsel, investigation and negotiation before indictment. Where conviction seems inevitable, experts are used to explore treatment and supervision alternatives or psychiatric hospitalization.