What are the Penalties for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Nevada? Criminal Lawyer

Hey there! Contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a big deal in Nevada, and can land you in some hot water if you’re not careful. I’m here to break it all down for you in simple terms, so you know exactly what you’re looking at if you get charged.

First off, what does “contributing to the delinquency of a minor” even mean? Basically, it means doing anything that causes or encourages a kid under 18 to break the law or engage in harmful behavior. Common examples are buying alcohol or cigarettes for minors, letting them hang out at your home unsupervised, involving them in criminal activities, exposing them to illegal drugs or inappropriate sexual content, etc.

Nevada Law on Contributing to Delinquency of a Minor

Nevada law takes this stuff very seriously. The specific law is NRS 201.110, and it lays out a bunch of situations that could be considered contributing to delinquency:

• Letting a minor be homeless, destitute, or without proper parental control
• Allowing a minor to beg on the streets
• Letting a minor live in an unsafe or unfit home
• Allowing a minor to live in a brothel (!!)
• Letting a minor associate with criminals or vagrants
• Allowing a minor into bars or saloons (even if you don’t buy them drinks)
• Allowing a minor to use drugs or alcohol
• Allowing a minor to refuse to obey parents/guardians
• Allowing a minor to be habitually truant from school
• Allowing a minor to lead an “immoral life”
• Allowing a minor to behave indecently or immorally
• Helping a minor break any law

Yikes! As you can see, there’s a wide range of behavior that can qualify. The penalties if you’re convicted are:

• Up to 6 months in jail
• Up to a $1000 fine

So even though it’s “only” a misdemeanor, it’s still no joke. 6 months in jail would ruin anyone’s year!

Likelihood of Maximum Penalty

Now, how likely you are to actually get the maximum penalty depends on the specific circumstances. First-time offenders often get off with a lighter sentence, especially if no one was seriously harmed. But it’s good to be prepared for the worst just in case, because judges can throw the book at you if they want to make an example.

Possible Defenses

There are some defenses that a good lawyer might be able to argue to get the charges reduced or dismissed:

• You didn’t actually “cause” the delinquency – the minor was already engaging in bad behavior without your involvement
• Your actions were legally protected – for example, reasonably disciplining your own child
• You qualify for Nevada’s “safe haven” laws – allowing you to safely surrender a newborn without penalty

Other charges that sometimes accompany delinquency charges include child endangerment, providing alcohol to minors, contributing to truancy, etc. So you could end up facing multiple counts if the D.A. decides to get aggressive.

Main Takeaway

The main takeaway here is be smart and be careful. It’s easy to cross the line without meaning to. If you let minors party at your house, buy them restricted stuff, or turn a blind eye to any sketchy behavior, you could find yourself in the crosshairs of the law before you know it.

If you do get charged, don’t panic! Get yourself an experienced criminal defense lawyer ASAP. An expert like Nick Wooldridge of LV Criminal Defense can investigate the allegations against you, poke holes in the prosecution’s case, negotiate with the D.A., and build the strongest defense to either get the charges dropped or penalty reduced. Don’t leave it to chance!

I know that was a lot of info, but I hope it gives you a good overview of what you’re looking at if accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor here in Nevada. Let me know if you have any other questions! Stay safe and smart out there.