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Know your rights! Youth justice and juvenile law answers.

Askthejudge.info features regular updates from the news, important decisions from the nation′s courts, and online discussions with Judge Tom. Find out everything you need to know about youth rights, juvenile law and juvenile justice. AsktheJudge – Empowering youth one question at a time.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this site is made available to the general public and is not intended to serve as legal advice.You should consult a trained legal professional in your area for questions you may have about the laws affecting juveniles or any legal interpretations.

Copyright, 2014
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April 28, 2015
Judge Tom
Blog
1

Is street begging a crime?

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Panhandling

The issue about panhandling or begging in public has been debated in recent years by city councils and state legislatures. Some laws have been found unconstitutional while others remain in place.

In April, 2015, for example, Arizona passed a law making “aggressive begging” a misdemeanor. Specifically, the new law prohibits asking anyone for money within fifteen feet of a bank entrance or an ATM. It also makes it illegal to ask for money on public transportation or within ten feet of a bus or light-rail stop. Touching someone without his or her consent while asking for money or blocking their way is also included in the new law.

Panhandling

Photo by Aaron Alexander

Do you think this interferes with your right to free speech? Or has panhandling become so aggressive in some instances that the public is entitled to protection?

We have mentioned begging before and refer you to this post.

 

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Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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1 Comment

  • John Held
    October 25, 2015 7:21 pm count( 0 )

    I believe that panhandling is not a crime because that would mean that advertising is a crime because when you advertise you are trying to get something in return such as money just like panhandling. So no i do not believe that street begging is a crime. Yes it can be annoying at times but you have to do what you have to do at time am I right?
    Dear John: Whether you’re right or wrong depends on the specific laws where the act takes place. Some cities and towns have criminalized panhandling. But you have to look to the exact language of the law to see if the facts of the incident measure up to what’s prohibited behavior.