Home Law Facts Can you go to jail for peeing in public?

Can you go to jail for peeing in public?

Peeing in public crime

Yes, a person can go to jail for peeing in public if found guilty of indecent exposure. The people affected and the dynamics of an individual case will determine what charges a prosecutor may pursue against a suspect.

Peeing in Public Charges

Peeing in public in itself is a criminal offense in many states and will attract a peeing in public citation. In an aggravated case, arrests may be made. Charges one could face include:

Felony charges for indecent exposure

A felony charge may be on the table depending on several factors. If a minor was a witness to the exposure of genitals during the act of peeing in public, a person may face felony charges. If convicted, sentences may involve time in the county jail, or one or more years in state prison.

Several states in the United States require that people convicted of indecent exposure to minors, enter their name in the sex offender registry.

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What is the difference between Misdemeanor and Felony?

Misdemeanor charges

A prosecutor may decide to pursue a lessor charge of misdemeanor for indecent exposure during the act of public urination if no minors were witnesses to the act. A first conviction will likely result in a misdemeanor sentence of six months in a county jail and/or a fine.

Why is peeing in public a crime?

Peeing in public is a crime in many states because the act is a public nuisance and the exposure of genitals in public amounts to public indecency, a crime according to law.

Indecent exposure definition

Indecent exposure occurs when a person exposures their genitals to members of the general public or in a public place through several acts such as peeing in public, pleasuring oneself in public or one or two people having sexual activity in public. In certain circumstances, exposure of breasts may qualify as indecent exposure.

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