H. Michael Steinberg has 42+ years of experience practicing Colorado criminal law. Mr. Steinberg strives to stay current with the ever changing aspects of criminal law issues and updates resulting in his extensive knowledge of successful criminal defense as well as appellate work. He is also an active member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association, the Colorado Trial Lawyer's Association, and the Colorado and Arapahoe Bar Associations.

Articles Tagged with C.R.S. 18-6-701 first degree contributing to the delinquency of a minor

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Colorado | C.R.S. § 18-6-701 Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor Law: First-Degree (Class 4 Felony) and Second-Degree (Class 1 Misdemeanor) Charges
Colorado’s contributing to the delinquency of a minor statute, C.R.S. § 18-6-701, has two degrees.

Colorado prosecutors do not need the child to be the one who gets caught. Under C.R.S. § 18-6-701, any person who induces, aids, or encourages someone under 18 to violate the law can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Since March 1, 2022, that charge comes in two levels: first degree, a class 4 felony, and second degree, a class 1 misdemeanor. Which one you face depends largely on what the child was allegedly encouraged to do.

This guide explains how Colorado’s contributing statute works after the 2022 reform, what the prosecution must prove, the sentencing ranges, the consequences that follow a conviction, and the defenses a Colorado criminal defense lawyer looks at first.