The failure of a parent, guardian or caregiver to provide a child with adequate food, shelter, clothing, supervision, medical care or emotional support, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, safety or development. It is distinguished from child abuse in that neglect is generally an offense of omission, a failure to act, rather than an affirmative act of physical or sexual harm, though the two frequently coexist in the same household. Most legal systems empower child protective agencies to investigate suspected neglect and, in serious or persistent cases, prosecute the responsible caregiver as a criminal offense distinct from any resulting physical injury charge.
Facts
Classification CodeCalifornia classifies ordinary child neglect under Penal Code section 270 as a misdemeanor, but the same statute escalates to a felony grade, punishable by a determinate state prison term, once a court has adjudicated the defendant's parentage. 1 Typical PenaltyThe base misdemeanor penalty under California's child neglect statute is a fine of up to two thousand dollars, imprisonment in county jail of up to one year, or both. 1 Elements of OffenseCalifornia law defines the offense as a parent of a minor child willfully omitting, without lawful excuse, to furnish necessary clothing, food, shelter, medical attendance or other remedial care for the child, with proof of the omission itself treated as prima facie evidence that it was willful and without lawful excuse. 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
Has Offense Grade
Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.
Sources
1. California Penal Code Section 270 (California Legislative Information)
California Office of Legislative CounselPenal Code 270, offense definition
If a parent of a minor child willfully omits, without lawful excuse, to furnish necessary clothing, food, shelter or medical attendance, or other remedial care for his or her child, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor
Penal Code 270, felony escalation clause
imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or in a state prison for a determinate term of one year and one day, or by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000)
Penal Code 270, base misdemeanor penalty
a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment
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