New Jersey Statutes 2C:29-3. Hindering apprehension or prosecution
Attorney's Note
Under the New Jersey Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| crime of the second degree | between 5 and 10 years | up to $150,000 |
| crime of the third degree | between 3 and 5 years | up to $15,000 |
| crime of the fourth degree | up to 18 months | up to $10,000 |
| disorderly persons offense | up to 6 months | up to $1,000 |
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2C:29-3
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(1) Harbors or conceals the other;
(2) Provides or aids in providing a weapon, money, transportation, disguise or other means of avoiding discovery or apprehension or effecting escape;
(3) Suppresses, by way of concealment or destruction, any evidence of the crime, or tampers with a witness, informant, document or other source of information, regardless of its admissibility in evidence, which might aid in the discovery or apprehension of such person or in the lodging of a charge against him;
(4) Warns the other of impending discovery or apprehension, except that this paragraph does not apply to a warning given in connection with an effort to bring another into compliance with law;
(5) Prevents or obstructs, by means of force, intimidation or deception, anyone from performing an act which might aid in the discovery or apprehension of such person or in the lodging of a charge against him;
(6) Aids such person to protect or expeditiously profit from an advantage derived from such crime; or
(7) Gives false information to a law enforcement officer or a civil State investigator assigned to the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor established by section 32 of P.L.1998, c.21 (C. 17:33A-16).
An offense under paragraph (5) of subsection a. of this section is a crime of the second degree, unless the actor is a spouse, domestic partner, partner in a civil union, parent or child to the person aided who is the victim of the offense, in which case the offense is a crime of the fourth degree. An offense under paragraph (3) or (7) of subsection a. of this section is a crime of the third degree if the conduct which the actor knows has been charged or is liable to be charged against another person would constitute leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident that results in the death of another person in violation of section 1 of P.L.1997, c.111 (C. 2C:11-5.1). Notwithstanding the presumption of non-imprisonment for certain offenders set forth in subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:44-1, the actor shall serve a term of imprisonment, which shall be fixed at not less than one year, during which the actor shall not be eligible for parole.Otherwise, the offense under subsection a. of this section is a crime of the third degree if the conduct which the actor knows has been charged or is liable to be charged against the person aided would constitute a crime of the second degree or greater, unless the actor is a spouse, domestic partner, partner in a civil union, parent or child of the person aided, in which case the offense is a crime of the fourth degree. The offense is a crime of the fourth degree if such conduct would constitute a crime of the third degree. Otherwise it is a disorderly persons offense.
b. A person commits an offense if, with purpose to hinder his own detention, apprehension, investigation, prosecution, conviction or punishment for an offense or violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or a violation of chapter 33A of Title 17 of the Revised Statutes, he:
(1) Suppresses, by way of concealment or destruction, any evidence of the crime or tampers with a document or other source of information, regardless of its admissibility in evidence, which might aid in his discovery or apprehension or in the lodging of a charge against him; or
(2) Prevents or obstructs by means of force or intimidation anyone from performing an act which might aid in his discovery or apprehension or in the lodging of a charge against him; or
(3) Prevents or obstructs by means of force, intimidation or deception any witness or informant from providing testimony or information, regardless of its admissibility, which might aid in his discovery or apprehension or in the lodging of a charge against him; or
(4) Gives false information to a law enforcement officer or a civil State investigator assigned to the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor established by section 32 of P.L.1998, c.21 (C. 17:33A-16).
An offense under paragraph (3) of subsection b. of this section is a crime of the second degree. An offense under paragraph (1) or (4) of subsection b. of this section is a crime of the third degree if the conduct which the actor knows has been charged or is liable to be charged against him would constitute leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident that results in the death of another person in violation of section 1 of P.L.1997, c.111 (C. 2C:11-5.1). Notwithstanding the presumption of non-imprisonment for certain offenders set forth in subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:44-1, the actor shall serve a term of imprisonment which shall be fixed at not less than one year, during which the actor shall not be eligible for parole.
Otherwise, the offense under subsection b. of this section is a crime of the third degree if the conduct which the actor knows has been charged or is liable to be charged against him would constitute a crime of the second degree or greater. The offense is a crime of the fourth degree if such conduct would constitute a crime of the third degree. Otherwise it is a disorderly persons offense.
amended 1981, c.290, s.29;1999, c.297; 2008, c.81, s.2; 2015, c.265.