Society hopes that adults will serve as role models for younger, more impressionable children as the choices that adults make often serve as an example for how younger people act and behave. Sometimes though, adults making bad choices or struggling with their own criminal issues may make the mistake of getting a minor swept up in their problems. The law sets out to punish adults who involve minors in their bad choices. Contact Mitchell S. Sexner & Associates LLC today to discuss your case if you have been accused of these crimes.
Delinquent Minors
Illinois law defines a delinquent minor as anyone under the age of 17 who has violated or tried to violate any federal or state laws. It also applies to anyone under the age of 18 who violated or tried to violate state/federal laws that are classified as misdemeanor offenses.
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
A person contributes to the delinquency of a minor when they knowingly commit the following two actions:
- Causing, aiding, or encouraging a minor to become a delinquent
- Does acts that directly render a minor a delinquent
When an adult affects a minor in this way, the law presently intends to charge the adult with a Class A misdemeanor offense.
Contributing to the Criminal Delinquency of a Minor
But there is a more serious charge than that of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Illinois, which happens when a person over the age of 21 directs, compels or solicits a minor under the age of 18 to commit a misdemeanor or causes a minor under the age of 17 to commit a felony. Laws related to criminal delinquency are potentially much more serious and may lead to extensive prison or penitentiary time. The punishments after a conviction range from Class C misdemeanors to Class X felonies, depending upon the class of the original crime committed. It is not even necessary for the crime to have been committed. It is only necessary that the adult attempted to facilitate the minor’s participation in the crime.
While spouses are generally not forced to testify against a husband or wife in a court of law, as relates to this particular statute, Illinois does provide an exception when the alleged crime involves contributing to the delinquency of a child. That means the husband or wife of a person who is accused of participating in either of the above-mentioned crimes may be compelled to testify against their spouse in court.
Minors and Alcohol
It is also common to be charged with contributing to delinquency if you provide alcohol to someone underage and a judge decides that this caused the minor to become delinquent. Furnishing alcohol to minors is not always against the law though. In Illinois, one is allowed in certain circumstances to provide alcohol for religious and educational reasons or on private property with parental consent.
Speak to an Experienced Criminal Lawyer
If you have been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, you need to be properly prepared for the court proceedings and what will be expected of you. The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Mitchell S. Sexner & Associates LLC will do their best to make sure that you are treated fairly and respectfully during the legal process. Don’t wait to contact us as our phone lines are always open at (800) 996-4824. We have convenient office locations in cities including Arlington Heights and Chicago and we can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.