Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of allowing or encouraging a child to break any law – municipal, state, or federal. Recently, a teacher was charged with this crime after she organized and allowed fights in her middle school classroom. According to the report, the teacher would allow her students to punch and kick each other while she sat and watched. Further, it was alleged that she had ‘rules’ telling the students not to pull hair, only smash on each other for 30 seconds, and keep the volume down to not attract attention. Videos were handed over to police showing the teacher sitting at her desk while students assaulted each other. The teacher was arrested and faces 4 charges of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. She denied organizing the fighting extracurricular pastime, but admitted that she didn’t report the fights as required.
Extracurricular Fighting: Definition of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Colorado
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor – C.R.S. 18-6-701 – is:
(b) Any person who induces, aids, or encourages a child to violate any municipal or county ordinance, court order, or state or federal law that is not a felony victims rights act crime as defined in section 24-4.1-302 (1) commits second degree contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Assault is a victims rights act crime, but the elements must meet the Second Degree Assault or First Degree Assault statute in order for it to be considered a felony Assault and therefore a First Degree Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor charge. If, as I suspect seeing as there was no mention of sever injury to any of the students, Third Degree Assault would apply as the students caused pain to another but not serious bodily injury and/or without the use of weapons, then Second Degree Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor would be charged.
Sentence for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Fort Collins, Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is charged as follows:
- First degree contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a class 4 felony.
- Second degree contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a class 1 misdemeanor.
It’s likely the teacher would be facing multiple counts of the class 1 misdemeanor offense if this had occurred in Larimer County, Colorado. Additionally, there is specific language in this crime for those employed in a school district:
This means the licensing board will be notified and it is possible that someone could lose their ability to teach if facing this crime. For the teacher above, I do not think there is even a question that she will lose her license.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
Photo by Julia Larson