Lewd and lascivious crimes represent a huge category of sex crimes that range from indecent exposure to molestation. This law was made to categorize the miscellaneous sex crimes that fail to fall within the other categories of sex crimes.
The category of lewd and lascivious crimes can be further broken down. The nature and penalties for these charges will vary depending on whether the incident took place with a minor and other factors.
Lewd and lascivious crimes include the following:
- Lewd and Lascivious Exhibition
- Lewd and Lascivious Conduct
- Lewd and Lascivious Molestation
- Lewd and Lascivious Battery
- Lewd and Lascivious Behavior
Even just being charged with these crimes can greatly affect your reputation and your relationships.
Penalties for Lewd and Lascivious Sex Crimes
The penalties of lewd and lascivious sex crimes often result in lifelong consequences. The severity of punishment depends heavily on the severity of the crime as well as the age of the victim.
If the victim is under the age of 18:
- Third degree felony
- Up to 5 years in prison
- $5000 fine
If the offender is 18 years or older:
- Second degree felony
- Up to 15 years in prison
- $10,000 fines
If convicted, you would be registered as a sex offender for the rest of your life – a penalty that would greatly impact your personal relationships, education, housing, and work opportunities.