Contributing To Delinquency Of A Minor

Legal Definition

A person commits contributing to the delinquency of a minor by any act of commission or omission that causes or tends to cause or encourage a person under 18 years of age to become a delinquent child or to become or remain a neglected or dependent child. The offense includes acts such as providing alcohol or drugs to a minor, encouraging truancy, or otherwise facilitating conduct that would bring the minor within the jurisdiction of the children's court. The statute is broadly written to encompass a wide range of conduct that undermines a minor's welfare or lawful upbringing.

Possible Punishment

Up to 364 days in county jail and a fine up to $1,000. Courts may also impose conditions such as community service or parenting classes as part of sentencing.

Holds, Warrants, and Procedural Bookings

Not everything in a jail roster is a fresh local crime. This category covers procedural bookings: fugitive-from-justice holds for other states, probation and parole violations, courtesy holds for other agencies, and catch-all offense codes. The person may face no new Doña Ana County charge at all.

Failure-to-appear and bench-warrant bookings are the most common procedural entries in our data. They resolve through the court that issued the warrant, which is why the fastest path out usually runs through a motion to quash rather than anything that happens at the jail.

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