The Florida Senate

827.04  Contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child; penalty.--

(1)  Any person who:

(a)  Commits any act which causes, tends to cause, encourages, or contributes to a child becoming a delinquent or dependent child or a child in need of services; or

(b)  Induces or endeavors to induce, by act, threat, command, or persuasion, a child to commit or perform any act, follow any course of conduct, or live in a manner that causes or tends to cause such child to become or to remain a dependent or delinquent child or a child in need of services,

commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(2)  It is not necessary for any court exercising juvenile jurisdiction to make an adjudication that any child is delinquent or dependent or a child in need of services in order to prosecute a violation of this section. An adjudication that a child is delinquent or dependent or a child in need of services shall not preclude a subsequent prosecution of a violation of this section.

(3)  A person 21 years of age or older who impregnates a child under 16 years of age commits an act of child abuse which constitutes a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. A person who impregnates a child in violation of this subsection commits an offense under this subsection regardless of whether the person is found to have committed, or has been charged with or prosecuted for, any other offense committed during the course of the same criminal transaction or episode, including, but not limited to, an offense proscribed under s. 800.04, relating to lewd, lascivious, or indecent assault or act upon any person under 16 years of age. Neither the victim's lack of chastity nor the victim's consent is a defense to the crime proscribed under this subsection.

History.--s. 50, ch. 74-383; s. 30, ch. 75-298; s. 1, ch. 77-73; s. 1, ch. 77-429; s. 4, ch. 88-151; s. 8, ch. 90-53; s. 2, ch. 96-215; s. 10, ch. 96-322.