Lewdness - New Jersey Sexual Assault Laws

Lewdness Crime & Punishment in New Jersey :

The New Jersey code § 2C:14-4 defines two degrees of the crime lewdness, each with associated punishments. The degree of the crime depends on the specifics of the crime committed, with higher degrees of the charge generally receiving harsher punishments.

Severity	Lewdness - Charge Description	Punishment
Crime of 4th degree STATUTORY	If offender exposes his intimate parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person under circumstances where offender knows or reasonably expects he is likely to be observed by a person who because of mental disease or defect is unable to understand the sexual nature of offender’s conduct If offender exposes his intimate parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person under circumstances where offender knows or reasonably expects he is likely to be observed by a child under 13, and offender is at least four years older than the child	Up to 18 months of prison time
Disorderly persons offense	If offender does any flagrantly lewd and offensive act which he knows or reasonably expects is likely to be observed by other non-consenting persons who would be affronted or alarmed	Jail time is not to exceed 6 months

New Jersey law allows lewdness to be enforced as a statutory charge. This means that this charge can be applied to cases in which the victim is younger than the New Jersey Age of Consent, even if the victim willingly engages in sexual relations with the defendant.

Lewdness is a charge that is unique to New Jersey. Crimes that would be prosecuted as lewdness in New Jersey will be prosecuted under a different statute depending on the state in which the crime takes place.

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