Arizona criminal charge
Child or vulnerable adult abuse in Arizona
Current through 2026 Arizona legislative session
Child or vulnerable adult abuse is a criminal offense under Arizona law, defined by A.R.S. § 13-3623. Its classification is not fixed: Arizona assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by A.R.S. § 13-3623.
What is the penalty for child or vulnerable adult abuse in Arizona?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | 4 years to 10 years (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, intentional or knowing — Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done intentionally or knowingly.; presumptive 5 years; mitigated 3 / aggravated 12.5 years available only on at least two mitigating/aggravating circumstances (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, intentional or knowing — Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done intentionally or knowingly.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); drug and other offenses may set higher statute-specific amounts) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Jail / prison | 2.5 years to 7 years (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, reckless — Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done recklessly.; presumptive 3.5 years; mitigated 2 / aggravated 8.75 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, reckless — Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done recklessly.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Jail / prison | 18 months to 36 months (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, criminal negligence — Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done with criminal negligence.; presumptive 2.5 years; mitigated 1 year / aggravated 3.75 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, criminal negligence — Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done with criminal negligence.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Jail / prison | 18 months to 36 months (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, intentional or knowing — Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done intentionally or knowingly.; presumptive 2.5 years; mitigated 1 year / aggravated 3.75 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, intentional or knowing — Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done intentionally or knowingly.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Jail / prison | 9 months to 24 months (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, reckless — Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done recklessly.; presumptive 1.5 years; mitigated 6 months / aggravated 2.5 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, reckless — Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done recklessly.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Jail / prison | 6 months to 18 months (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, criminal negligence — Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done with criminal negligence.; presumptive 1 year; mitigated .33 years / aggravated 2 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges; a class 6 felony may be designated a class 1 misdemeanor under 13-604) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, criminal negligence — Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done with criminal negligence.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Jail / prison | 6 months to 18 months (Emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult — A person intentionally or knowingly engages in or permits emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult patient/resident or one in their care or custody.; presumptive 1 year; mitigated .33 years / aggravated 2 years on required findings (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges; a class 6 felony may be designated a class 1 misdemeanor under 13-604) | presumptive | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
| Fine | up to $150,000 (Emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult — A person intentionally or knowingly engages in or permits emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult patient/resident or one in their care or custody.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); statute-specific amounts may exceed) | discretionary | A.R.S. § 13-702 |
Applies to first felony offense, non-dangerous; presumptive term 5 years.
How is child or vulnerable adult abuse classified in Arizona?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, intentional or knowing | Class 2 Felony | Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done intentionally or knowingly. | A.R.S. § 13-3623A.1 |
| Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, reckless | Class 3 Felony | Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done recklessly. | A.R.S. § 13-3623A.2 |
| Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, criminal negligence | Class 4 Felony | Under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done with criminal negligence. | A.R.S. § 13-3623A.3 |
| Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, intentional or knowing | Class 4 Felony | Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done intentionally or knowingly. | A.R.S. § 13-3623B.1 |
| Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, reckless | Class 5 Felony | Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done recklessly. | A.R.S. § 13-3623B.2 |
| Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, criminal negligence | Class 6 Felony | Under circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the abuse or endangerment is done with criminal negligence. | A.R.S. § 13-3623B.3 |
| Emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult | Class 6 Felony | A person intentionally or knowingly engages in or permits emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult patient/resident or one in their care or custody. | A.R.S. § 13-3623D |
Common questions about child or vulnerable adult abuse in Arizona
Is child or vulnerable adult abuse a felony or a misdemeanor in Arizona?
It depends on the circumstances: child or vulnerable adult abuse ranges from a Class 6 Felony to a Class 2 Felony in Arizona under A.R.S. § 13-3623.
Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, intentional or knowing: Class 2 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623A.1) · Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, reckless: Class 3 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623A.2) · Child/vulnerable adult abuse — likely to produce death/serious injury, criminal negligence: Class 4 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623A.3) · Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, intentional or knowing: Class 4 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623B.1) · Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, reckless: Class 5 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623B.2) · Child/vulnerable adult abuse — other circumstances, criminal negligence: Class 6 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623B.3) · Emotional abuse of a vulnerable adult: Class 6 Felony (A.R.S. § 13-3623D)
What are the penalties for child or vulnerable adult abuse in Arizona?
Penalties for child or vulnerable adult abuse in Arizona depend on how it is classified — from a Class 6 Felony up to a Class 2 Felony — with the ranges set by A.R.S. § 13-702; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Arizona statute covers child or vulnerable adult abuse?
Child or vulnerable adult abuse is governed by A.R.S. § 13-3623 (Child or vulnerable adult abuse; emotional abuse; classification; exceptions; definitions).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.