Florida criminal charge
Willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties in Florida
Willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties is a criminal offense under Florida law, defined by Fla. Stat. § 985.702. Its classification is not fixed: Florida 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 Fla. Stat. § 985.702.
What is the penalty for willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties in Florida?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Willful and malicious neglect without great bodily harm — An employee willfully and maliciously neglects a juvenile offender without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Willful and malicious neglect without great bodily harm — An employee willfully and maliciously neglects a juvenile offender without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 15 years (Willful and malicious neglect causing great bodily harm — An employee willfully and maliciously neglects a juvenile offender and thereby causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $10,000 (Willful and malicious neglect causing great bodily harm — An employee willfully and maliciously neglects a juvenile offender and thereby causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 1 year (Failure to prepare or prevention of required report — A person required to prepare a report under this section knowingly or willfully fails to do so, or knowingly or willfully prevents another person from doing so.; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Failure to prepare or prevention of required report — A person required to prepare a report under this section knowingly or willfully fails to do so, or knowingly or willfully prevents another person from doing so.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 1 year (Submission of false or incomplete report — A person knowingly or willfully submits inaccurate, incomplete, or untruthful information with respect to a report required under this section.; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Submission of false or incomplete report — A person knowingly or willfully submits inaccurate, incomplete, or untruthful information with respect to a report required under this section.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Coercion or threats to alter testimony or report — A person knowingly or willfully coerces or threatens another person with intent to alter testimony or a written report regarding an incident of neglect upon a juvenile offender.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Coercion or threats to alter testimony or report — A person knowingly or willfully coerces or threatens another person with intent to alter testimony or a written report regarding an incident of neglect upon a juvenile offender.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
Applies to current (2025 Florida Statutes).
How is willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties classified in Florida?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willful and malicious neglect without great bodily harm | Felony of the Third Degree | An employee willfully and maliciously neglects a juvenile offender without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement. | Fla. Stat. § 985.702(2)(a) |
| Willful and malicious neglect causing great bodily harm | Felony of the Second Degree | An employee willfully and maliciously neglects a juvenile offender and thereby causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement. | Fla. Stat. § 985.702(2)(b) |
| Failure to prepare or prevention of required report | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | A person required to prepare a report under this section knowingly or willfully fails to do so, or knowingly or willfully prevents another person from doing so. | Fla. Stat. § 985.702(4)(a) |
| Submission of false or incomplete report | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | A person knowingly or willfully submits inaccurate, incomplete, or untruthful information with respect to a report required under this section. | Fla. Stat. § 985.702(4)(b) |
| Coercion or threats to alter testimony or report | Felony of the Third Degree | A person knowingly or willfully coerces or threatens another person with intent to alter testimony or a written report regarding an incident of neglect upon a juvenile offender. | Fla. Stat. § 985.702(4)(c) |
Common questions about willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties in Florida
Is willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Second Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 985.702.
Willful and malicious neglect without great bodily harm: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 985.702(2)(a)) · Willful and malicious neglect causing great bodily harm: Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 985.702(2)(b)) · Failure to prepare or prevention of required report: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 985.702(4)(a)) · Submission of false or incomplete report: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 985.702(4)(b)) · Coercion or threats to alter testimony or report: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 985.702(4)(c))
What are the penalties for willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties in Florida?
Penalties for willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties in Florida depend on how it is classified — from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree up to a Felony of the Second Degree — with the ranges set by Fla. Stat. § 775.082; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Florida statute covers willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties?
Willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties is governed by Fla. Stat. § 985.702 (Willful and malicious neglect of a juvenile offender prohibited; reporting required; penalties).
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.