Child Endangerment Sentencing in California

Child Endangerment Sentencing and Punishment – Penal Code section 273a

A defendant who is found guilty of child endangerment under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm, injury or death, then the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison for two, four, or six years. This is known as a wobbler. A wobbler is when the prosecuting agency can either charge a defendant with a misdemeanor or a felony. A misdemeanor is punishable by less than one year of imprisonment and a felony is punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.

A defendant who is found guilty of child endangerment not under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm, injury or death, then the defendant is guilty of a misdemeanor which is imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year.

If you’re lucky, then a judge may grant probation, and under state law, the minimum conditions of probation are:

1. Probation period of 48 months;
2. A criminal court protective order protecting the victim from acts of violence or threats, and, if appropriate, residence exclusion or stay-away conditions; and
3. Successful completion of no less than one year of a child abuser’s treatment counseling program. The defendant shall produce documentation of program enrollment to the court within 30 days of enrollment, along with quarterly progress reports.

More California Child Endangerment Information

• Child Endangerment Defenses
• Child Endangerment Overview
• Child Endangerment Prosecution
• Child Endangerment Sentencing
• Child Endangerment FAQ’s
• Client Testimonials: Child Endangerment