New Jersey statute

N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5 — Escape

Current through P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

Part of Chapter 29, New Jersey Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Escape

Full text of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5

Statutory text current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22. This publication reproduces the official text of the New Jersey Statutes from the statute files published by the New Jersey Legislature; it is not the official statutes of the State of New Jersey.

N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5Primary source, current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

2C:29-5. Escape. a. Escape. A person commits an offense if he without lawful authority removes himself from official detention or fails to return to official detention following temporary leave granted for a specific purpose or limited period. "Official detention" means arrest, detention in any facility for custody of persons under charge or conviction of a crime or offense, or committed pursuant to chapter 4 of this Title, or alleged or found to be delinquent, detention for extradition or deportation, or any other detention for law enforcement purposes; but "official detention" does not include supervision of probation or parole, or constraint incidental to release on bail. b. Absconding from parole. A person subject to parole commits a crime of the third degree if the person goes into hiding or leaves the State with a purpose of avoiding supervision. As used in this subsection, "parole" includes participation in the Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) established pursuant to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey. Abandoning a place of residence without the prior permission of or notice to the appropriate supervising authority shall constitute prima facie evidence that the person intended to avoid such supervision. c. Permitting or facilitating escape. A public servant concerned in detention commits an offense if he knowingly or recklessly permits an escape. Any person who knowingly causes or facilitates an escape commits an offense. d. Effect of legal irregularity in detention. Irregularity in bringing about or maintaining detention, or lack of jurisdiction of the committing or detaining authority, shall not be a defense to prosecution under this section if the escape is from a prison or other custodial facility or from detention pursuant to commitment by official proceedings. In the case of other detentions, irregularity or lack of jurisdiction shall be a defense only if: (1) The escape involved no substantial risk of harm to the person or property of anyone other than the detainee; or (2) The detaining authority did not act in good faith under color of law. e. Grading of offenses. An offense under subsection a. or c. of this section is a crime of the second degree where the actor employs force, threat, deadly weapon or other dangerous instrumentality to effect the escape. Otherwise it is a crime of the third degree. L.1978, c.95; amended 1979,c.178,s.58A; 1981,c.290,s.30; 1991,c.34,s.1.

Official sources

justia: N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

What degree of offense is escape in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: escape ranges from a crime of the third degree to a crime of the second degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5.

Escape (or permitting/facilitating escape) with force, threat, deadly weapon or other dangerous instrumentality: crime of the second degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5) · Escape (or permitting/facilitating escape) without force/weapon: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5) · Absconding from parole: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5)

Which New Jersey statute covers escape?

Escape is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:29-5 (Escape).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.