New Jersey statute

N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1 — Prostitution and related offenses

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

Part of Chapter 34, New Jersey Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Prostitution and related offenses

Full text of N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1

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:34-1Primary source, current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

2C:34-1. Prostitution and Related Offenses. a. As used in this section: (1) "Prostitution" is sexual activity with another person in exchange for something of economic value, or the offer or acceptance of an offer to engage in sexual activity in exchange for something of economic value. (2) "Sexual activity" includes, but is not limited to, sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, and oral-anal contact, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex; masturbation; touching of the genitals, buttocks, or female breasts; sadistic or masochistic abuse and other deviate sexual relations. (3) "House of prostitution" is any place where prostitution or promotion of prostitution is regularly carried on by one person under the control, management or supervision of another. (4) "Promoting prostitution" is: (a) Owning, controlling, managing, supervising or otherwise keeping, alone or in association with another, a house of prostitution or a prostitution business; (b) Procuring an inmate for a house of prostitution or place in a house of prostitution for one who would be an inmate; (c) Encouraging, inducing, or otherwise purposely causing another to become or remain a prostitute; (d) Soliciting a person to patronize a prostitute; (e) Procuring a prostitute for a patron; (f) Transporting a person into or within this State with purpose to promote that person's engaging in prostitution, or procuring or paying for transportation with that purpose; or (g) Knowingly leasing or otherwise permitting a place controlled by the actor, alone or in association with others, to be regularly used for prostitution or promotion of prostitution, or failure to make a reasonable effort to abate such use by ejecting the tenant, notifying law enforcement authorities, or other legally available means. b. A person commits an offense if: (1) The actor engages in prostitution as a patron; (2) The actor promotes prostitution; (3) The actor knowingly promotes prostitution of a child under 18 whether or not the actor mistakenly believed that the child was 18 years of age or older, even if such mistaken belief was reasonable; (4) The actor knowingly promotes prostitution of the actor's child, ward, or any other person for whose care the actor is responsible; (5) The actor compels another to engage in or promote prostitution; (6) The actor promotes prostitution of the actor's spouse; (7) The actor knowingly engages in prostitution with a person under the age of 18, or if the actor enters into or remains in a house of prostitution for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 18, or if the actor solicits or requests a child under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. It shall be no defense to a prosecution under this paragraph that the actor mistakenly believed that the child was 18 years of age or older, even if such mistaken belief was reasonable; or (8) The actor engages in prostitution by personally offering sexual activity in exchange for something of economic value. c. Grading of offenses under subsection b. (1) An offense under subsection b. constitutes a crime of the first degree if the offense falls within paragraph (3) or (4) of that subsection. (2) An offense under subsection b. constitutes a crime of the second degree if the offense falls within paragraph (7) of that subsection. (3) An offense under subsection b. constitutes a crime of the third degree if the offense falls within paragraph (5) or (6) of that subsection. (4) An offense under paragraph (2) of subsection b. constitutes a crime of the third degree if the conduct falls within subparagraph (a), (b), (c), (f), or (g) of paragraph (4) of subsection a. Otherwise the offense is a crime of the fourth degree. (5) An offense under subsection b. constitutes a disorderly persons offense if the offense falls within paragraph (1) of that subsection except that a second or third conviction for such an offense constitutes a crime of the fourth degree, and a fourth or subsequent conviction for such an offense constitutes a crime of the third degree. In addition, where a motor vehicle was used in the commission of any offense under paragraph (1) of subsection b. the court shall suspend for six months the driving privilege of any such offender who has a valid driver's license issued by this State. Upon conviction, the court shall immediately collect the offender's driver's license and shall forward it, along with a report stating the first and last day of the suspension imposed pursuant to this paragraph, to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. (6) An offense under subsection b. constitutes a disorderly persons offense if the offense falls within paragraph (8) of that subsection, except that a second or subsequent conviction for such an offense constitutes a crime of the fourth degree. d. Presumption from living off prostitutes. A person, other than the prostitute or the prostitute's minor child or other legal dependent incapable of self-support, who is supported in whole or substantial part by the proceeds of prostitution is presumed to be knowingly promoting prostitution. e. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution for a violation of this section that, during the time of the alleged commission of the offense, the defendant was a victim of human trafficking pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.77 (C.2C:13-8) or compelled by another to engage in sexual activity, regardless of the defendant's age. f. (1) Any fine set forth in N.J.S.2C:43-3 that is imposed upon a person by a municipal court for a conviction of a disorderly persons offense under this section shall be collected, notwithstanding the procedures for the collection of fines and restitutions in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:46-4), by the municipal court administrator and paid into the municipal treasury of the municipality in which the offense was committed. (2) In addition to any fine, fee, assessment, or penalty authorized under the provisions of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, a person convicted of an offense of prostitution or related offense under paragraph (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7) of subsection b. shall be assessed a penalty of at least $10,000 but not more than $50,000, except if the offense involved promotion of the prostitution of a child under the age of 18, the penalty shall be at least $25,000. All penalties provided for in this subsection, collected as provided for the collection of fines and restitutions in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:46-4), shall be forwarded to the Department of the Treasury to be deposited in the "Human Trafficking Survivor's Assistance Fund" established by section 2 of P.L.2013, c.51 (C.52:17B-238). amended 1991, c.211; 1997, c.93, s.1; 1999, c.9; 2005, c.77, s.2; 2011, c.195, s.6; 2013, c.51, s.9.

Official sources

justia: N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

What degree of offense is prostitution and related offenses in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: prostitution and related offenses ranges from a disorderly persons offense to a crime of the first degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1.

Promoting prostitution of a child under 18 / of one's own child, ward, or dependent: crime of the first degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Engaging in prostitution with or soliciting a child under 18: crime of the second degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Compelling another to engage in or promote prostitution / promoting prostitution of spouse: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Promoting prostitution — specified promotional conduct (subparagraphs a,b,c,f,g): crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Promoting prostitution — other promotional conduct (subparagraphs d,e): crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Patronizing prostitution — repeat offense (2nd or 3rd conviction): crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Patronizing prostitution — 4th or subsequent conviction: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Patronizing prostitution — first offense: disorderly persons offense (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Personally offering sexual activity for economic value — first offense: disorderly persons offense (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1) · Personally offering sexual activity for economic value — repeat offense: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1)

Which New Jersey statute covers prostitution and related offenses?

Prostitution and related offenses is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1 (Prostitution and related offenses).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.