This misdemeanor crime may be charged in a number of situations
Taking care of a child is a big responsibility. What many people don’t realize is that in some situations, the way that you care for a child — or fail to care for them — can actually lead to criminal charges.
As a criminal lawyer in Rancho Cucamonga, CA can explain, contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a misdemeanor crime in California, punishable by up to one year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500. So what exactly does it mean to contribute to the delinquency of a minor?
In essence, contributing to the delinquency of a minor happens when you do or fail to do something that leads to a minor making bad choices. Specifically, a prosecutor must demonstrate that you:
- Committed an act or failed to perform a duty; and
- In doing so, you caused or contributed to causing a minor to become a delinquent, habitual truant, or dependent child of the juvenile court.
In California, parents and guardians of minor children have an affirmative duty to exercise reasonable care, supervision, protection, and control over the children. If you fail to do so, then you may be charged with this offense.
To be convicted of this crime, the minor in question must become a delinquent child (a child who has been found by the court to have committed a crime), a habitual truant (a child who has 4 or more unexcused absences in a school year, refuses to obey reasonable orders of their parents or guardians, or who violates an age-based curfew), or who becomes a dependent of the California juvenile court system (which may occur for a variety of reasons, such as if they are a victim of sexual abuse, child abuse, or neglect). For example, Mary has a 13 year old daughter. She notices that their 40 year old neighbor has been paying special attention to her daughter, and comes to realize that the neighbor is having sex with her daughter (statutory rape). Mary decides to not do anything about it, because she is overwhelmed with work and being a single parent, and at least her daughter is getting attention. If the statutory rape is reported and her daughter is taken out of her home, Mary could be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
There are other ways that this charge may occur, such as giving a child drugs, booze, or cigarettes, or encouraging them to skip school. A skilled criminal lawyer in Rancho Cucamonga, CA can put together a strong defense to these charges, such as arguing that their child is out of control and they couldn’t stop them from skipping school despite their best efforts.
If you have been charged with this crime or a related crime, the Chambers Law Firm will aggressively defend you. Contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free initial consultation with a member of our team.
