Jail bait is a phrase used to describe an individual who is under the legal age of sexual consent, while also implying that that person may be considered sexually attractive. The term is used for both male and female minors. Having sex or sexual contact with someone under the legal age of consent is punishable by law.
The age of consent varies among states but typically falls between the ages of 16 and 18. Although consent laws aim to prevent sexual exploitation of children and young adults, some people argue that removing teenagers' power to consent to intercourse has its drawbacks. In addition, research has found that many cases in which a person is convicted for having sexual contact with someone under the age of consent actually involve two young people of similar age (one under the age of consent, one over). Finally, the vast majority of those charged with the age of consent violations are male, suggesting that the laws are not applied equally and that many people (perhaps along with the courts) buy into the common assumption that males are always the initiators when it comes to sex.
