As you learned, statutory rape is a strict liability crime in many jurisdictions. A defen dant doesn't have to intend to have sex with a minor to commit the crime. Even more, evidence that the victim appeared to be an adult or that the defendant was misled by the victim about his or her age are not defenses to the crime. Divide into teams of four, two defending the crime as strict liability and two opposing it. Take 20 minutes to construct your best arguments and debate the question of whether fairness (due process) or some other constitutional provision is violated by a strict liability statutory rape statute .

The following was enacted by the Congress of the United States: Breach of Loyalty: Any citizen of the United States who believes that the government of the United States shall be overthrown or abolished through force and rebellion shall be guilty of breach of loyalty and punished with life imprisonment. I. B. Extreme, a 55- year-old male who lives in Florida , was in a bar playing poker with five individuals whom he had met for the first time earlier in the evening. The discussion during the game turned to politics and Extreme commented, "I believe the government is all corrupt. Jefferson said a rebellion now and then is a good thing, Americans should load their guns and teach Washington a lesson." His statements were reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by one of his poker friends who turned out to be a local police officer. Extreme has been charged with violating the Breach of Loyalty statute. Discuss his best defense , as you learned in this chapter .