Contributing To The Delinquency Of A Minor In Florida: Home: My Portfolio

Contributing To The Delinquency Of A Minor In Florida

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Are you aware that if you contribute to the delinquency of a minor, you can be arrested?

It’s true, and if you are convicted, you could face penalties. That's why it's important to understand what constitutes contributing to a minor's delinquency. If you’ve been arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, contact an attorney for criminal offenses involving children so they can help defend your case.

Basic Definition

In Florida, the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (CDM) is defined as follows:

A person who commits an act that causes or tends to cause a child to become delinquent or dependent upon the state.
A person who by word, act, or deed encourages, advises, induces, or persuades a child to commit an act which, if committed by an adult, would be a crime.
A person who knowingly employs, or permits a child to assist them in the commission of an act which, if it were committed by an adult, would be a crime.

What this means is that if you do anything that causes a minor to commit a crime, or if you help a minor commit a crime, you can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Some examples include:

Buying alcohol for a minor. It is illegal to buy alcohol for someone under the age of 21.

Giving drugs to a minor. Doing this could cause the minor to become addicted and/or overdose.

Housing a runaway child. If you are over the age of 18 and you knowingly allow a child under the age of 18 to stay in your home, without the consent of the child’s parent or guardian, you can be charged with a crime.

Allowing a minor to drive your car without a license. It is against the law and can cause problems if the minor gets into an accident or is stopped by the police.

Engaging in sexual activity with a minor. It is a crime, even if the minor consents to the activity.

Florida Penalties for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor

CDM is a misdemeanor offense in Florida. If you are convicted of this, you could face several penalties. These include:

A fine of up to $1000
Probation of 1 year
Imprisonment for up to 1 year

Possible Defenses

If you have been accused of CDM, several defenses may be available to you. These include:

You did not actually encourage or induce the child to commit a crime (for example, if you only gave alcohol to a minor, but did not tell them to drink it)
You were not aware that the child was going to commit a crime (for example, if you allowed a minor to drive your car without knowing they were going to drive recklessly)
The child is falsely accusing you of the crime
The police engaged in entrapment
The child became delinquent without your contributions

Speak with a Lawyer

If you have been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, it is important to speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer. A conviction for this crime can result in serious penalties, and you will want to make sure you have the best possible defense. An experienced lawyer can review your case and help you determine the best course of action.

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[{:section_type=>"rich_text", :content=>"Are you aware that if you contribute to the delinquency of a minor, you can be arrested?\nIt’s true, and if you are convicted, you could face penalties. That's why it's important to understand what constitutes contributing to a minor's delinquency. If you’ve been arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, contact an <a href=\"https://www.sarasotadefenseattorney.com/contributing-to-the-delinquency-of-a-minor.html\">attorney for criminal offenses involving children</a> so they can help defend your case.&nbsp;\n<h2>Basic Definition</h2>\nIn Florida, the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (CDM) is defined as follows:\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A person who commits an act that causes or tends to cause a child to become delinquent or dependent upon the state.</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A person who by word, act, or deed encourages, advises, induces, or persuades a child to commit an act which, if committed by an adult, would be a crime.</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A person who knowingly employs, or permits a child to assist them in the commission of an act which, if it were committed by an adult, would be a crime.</li>\n</ul>\nWhat this means is that if you do anything that causes a minor to commit a crime, or if you help a minor commit a crime, you can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.\nSome examples include:\nBuying alcohol for a minor. It is illegal to buy alcohol for someone under the age of 21.\nGiving drugs to a minor. Doing this could cause the minor to become addicted and/or overdose.\nHousing a runaway child. If you are over the age of 18 and you knowingly allow a child under the age of 18 to stay in your home, without the consent of the child’s parent or guardian, you can be charged with a crime.\nAllowing a minor to drive your car without a license. It is against the law and can cause problems if the minor gets into an accident or is stopped by the police.\nEngaging in sexual activity with a minor. It is a crime, even if the minor consents to the activity.\n<h2>Florida Penalties for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor</h2>\nCDM is a misdemeanor offense in Florida. If you are convicted of this, you could face several penalties. These include:\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A fine of up to $1000</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Probation of 1 year</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Imprisonment for up to 1 year</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Possible Defenses</h2>\nIf you have been accused of CDM, several defenses may be available to you. These include:\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">You did not actually encourage or induce the child to commit a crime (for example, if you only gave alcohol to a minor, but did not tell them to drink it)</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">You were not aware that the child was going to commit a crime (for example, if you allowed a minor to drive your car without knowing they were going to drive recklessly)</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The child is falsely accusing you of the crime</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The police engaged in entrapment</li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The child became delinquent without your contributions</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Speak with a Lawyer</h2>\nIf you have been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, it is important to speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer. A conviction for this crime can result in serious penalties, and you will want to make sure you have the best possible defense. An experienced lawyer can review your case and help you determine the best course of action.\n "}]

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