Hazing
G.L. c. 269, § 17 — up to a year, and consent is no defense
In Massachusetts, hazing is any conduct or method of initiation into a student organization, on public or private property, that wilfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of a student or other person, including whipping, beating, forced calisthenics or consumption, exposure to the weather, and extended deprivation of sleep or isolation.
| The conduct | The grade |
|---|---|
| The conductA principal organizer or participant | The gradeA fine of not more than three thousand dollars, up to one year in a house of correction, or both |
- Consent is not a defense.
Other crimes committed in the course of hazing are charged under their own sections, and schools keep their own discipline. What a grade means in fines and jail is on this state's charges page. Whether conduct was hazing is a question for a court and for a licensed Massachusetts attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.L. c. 269, § 17 — Crime of hazing; definition; penalty
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.