720 ILCS 5/12C-30 – Contributing to the Delinquency or Criminal Delinquency of a Minor

720 ILCS 5/12C-30 – Contributing to the Delinquency or Criminal Delinquency of a Minor

This law makes it a crime for someone to cause, help, or encourage a minor to break the law or become delinquent.

This Illinois law says that a person commits a crime if they knowingly cause or help a minor to do something illegal or become delinquent. The punishment depends on the person’s age and what type of crime the minor was encouraged to commit.

(a) A person breaks the law when they knowingly cause, help, or encourage a minor to become a delinquent. This also means doing something that leads a young person to get in trouble with the law.

(b) A person who is 21 years or older breaks the law if they try to get a minor to commit a crime. This means asking, forcing, or telling a minor to take part in a crime. It counts as:

1. A felony if the minor is under 17 years old, or
2. A misdemeanor if the minor is under 18 years old.

(c) The term “delinquent minor” means:

1. A person under 17 who breaks or tries to break any law, or
2. A person under 18 who breaks or tries to break a law that is a misdemeanor.

(d) Sentence:

1. Breaking subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
2. Breaking subsection (b) is punished based on how serious the juvenile’s crime was:
   1. Class C misdemeanor if the juvenile’s crime is a petty or business offense.
   2. Class B misdemeanor if the juvenile’s crime is a Class C misdemeanor.
   3. Class A misdemeanor if the juvenile’s crime is a Class B misdemeanor.
   4. Class 4 felony if the juvenile’s crime is a Class A misdemeanor.
   5. Class 3 felony if the juvenile’s crime is a Class 4 felony.
   6. Class 2 felony if the juvenile’s crime is a Class 3 felony.
   7. Class 1 felony if the juvenile’s crime is a Class 2 felony.
   8. Class X felony if the juvenile’s crime is a Class 1 or Class X felony.
3. If the crime is first degree murder, then the punishment is the same as for first degree murder.

(e) The accused person’s husband or wife can testify as a witness in a case about this law.

View the full statute here.

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