You may remember a couple years ago when a substitute teacher in Colleton County was accused of being inappropriate with her male students. She was charged with contributing to delinquency of a minor.

You are probably wondering, “What is that?”

Contributing to delinquency of a minor is an alarming charge since it is so vague! These types of charges can sometimes be the result of overreaching police officers.

It is important to consult an attorney if you find yourself facing this charge. A criminal attorney can assess the situation and ensure that your rights are protected.

The Charge:

What is it? Sounds a little off right?

Basically, you can be charged with contributing to delinquency of a minor in South Carolina if the police have reason to believe that you have acted in a way that causes harm to a person under the age of 18.

While it is mostly ambiguous, there are a few requirements written into the statute:

• The person accused of this crime must be over the age of 18 to be charged.
• The person accused must have knowingly and willfully acted; in other words, they did it on purpose.
• The person accused must have done something to encourage or help a minor to do something.

What type of action can land you a charge?

The following are some examples that can lead a person over the age of 18 to be accused of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor if the accused:

• Causes the minor to violate a law or municipal ordinance
• Causes a minor to be incorrigible or ungovernable or habitually disobedient to the minor’s parents
• Causes the minor to be habitually truant, in other words, the adult causes the minor to miss school a lot
• Causes the minor to repeatedly leave the minor’s house without good reason.
• Causes the minor to participate in an occupation that is against the law, such as prostitution, or stealing
• Causes the minor to associate with immoral persons, or bad influences
• Causes the minor to frequent illegal places
• Causes the minor to habitually use obscene language
• Causes the minor to willfully injure or endanger their morals, health, or morals or health of another person

The above list consists of examples. It isn’t a complete list of actions that could get you slapped with a charge. You could be charged with contributing to delinquency of a minor if the cops can prove that you are causing a minor to go astray. It’s that simple.

The Penalties:

What will someone be facing if they are found guilty of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor?

The crime is a Class A misdemeanor; it is not a felony. Also, the accused could be fined up to $3,000, or face jail time of up to 3 years (or both).

Because Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor does not have a mandatory minimum jail sentence, it is possible for someone to be sentenced to probation; however this is not a guarantee. The ultimate sentence is in the discretion of the court.

Facing a contributing to delinquency of a minor charge?

Are you or someone you love being charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor? This charge can be scary to handle without the help of an attorney.

It is always a good idea to contact an attorney when facing criminal charges, but it is even more so important in these situations. You need someone on your side that knows how the criminal justice system works and who has experience prosecuting and defending Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor cases.

Contact Susan Williams to find out if she can help. Set up a free consultation so she can examine the facts of your case. You don’t have to fight this battle alone.

Just call (843) 607-9800 or contact us through our online form.