Colorado legal term
Abuse in Colorado Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session
In Colorado criminal law, “Abuse” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Colorado criminal code.
What does “Abuse” mean in Colorado criminal law?
"Abuse" means any of the following acts or omissions committed against an at-risk person: (a) The nonaccidental infliction of bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death; (b) Confinement or restraint that is unreasonable under generally accepted caretaking standards; or (c) Subjection to sexual conduct or contact classified as a crime under this title. (C.R.S. § 18-6.5-102)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
- Child abuse
- Abuse of a corpse
- Abuse of property insurance
- Abuse of public trust by an educator
- Abuse of telephone and telegraph service
- Health-care providers
- Illegal possession or consumption of ethyl alcohol or marijuana by an underage person
- Sexual exploitation of a child
- Tampering with a deceased human body
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.