There are several types of Crimes that involve Children as victims, including but not limited to:
- Child Abuse
- Aggravated Child Abuse
- Child Neglect
- Aggravated Child Neglect
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
- Sexual Offenses involving Minors
Penalties for Crimes Against Children
Child Abuse
Child Abuse occurs when a caregiver intentionally inflicts physical or mental injury upon a child, commits an intentional act that could reasonably expect to result in an injury or actively encourages any person to commit an act that could result in injury. These are very serious allegations and can result in years of prison or probation.
Child Abuse is a 3rd Degree Felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, 5 years of probation and up to $5,000.00 in fines. Courts routinely require people convicted of Child Abuse or Neglect to complete lengthy parenting courses and could even order supervised contact or no contact with the child involved with the case or any child under the age of 18 years old.
Child Neglect
Child Neglect will occur when a caregiver willfully or by culpable negligence fail to provide a child with supervision or make a reasonable effort to protect the child from neglect, abuse or exploitation from another person. Child Neglect is also a 3rd Degree Felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, 5 years of probation and up to $5,000.00 in fines.
Courts routinely require people convicted of Child Abuse or Neglect to complete lengthy parenting courses and could even order supervised contact or no contact with the child involved with the case or any child under the age of 18 years old.
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor occurs when anyone commits an act which causes, tends to cause, encourages or contributes to a child becoming a delinquent or dependent child or a child in need of services. A person can also be found guilty of Contributing to the Delinquency of a minor if the person induces by act, threat or persuasion any child to commit or perform any act which tends to cause the child to become delinquent or dependent.
What this means is that if you tell your child to commit a crime, or you even commit a crime while taking care of your child, you can be charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. These charges are often add-on charges along with whatever alleged crime you have committed. Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is a 1st Degree Misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail, 1 year of probation and $1,000.00 in fines.
Sexual Offenses Involving Minors
These are some of the most hated and aggressively prosecuted cases in all of the law. Sexual Battery, Lewd and Lascivious Conduct, Meeting a child for purpose of sex, transmission of sexual material to a minor or solicitation of a minor are among the most common sexual offenses that include Children. Some of these crimes are punishable by up to 15 years or even Life in Prison.
Contact a Broward County Child Abuse Defense Attorney
The earlier you contact a Broward Criminal Defense Lawyer the better. Call Grant Schwarz to start telling your side of the story. Call 954-620-8320 or email at [email protected].
