Hazing
N.J.S.A. 2C:40-3 — graded by injury, and immunity for the first to call for help
In New Jersey, a person is guilty of hazing who, in connection with initiation into a student or fraternal organization, knowingly or recklessly causes another to break the law or consume a harmful substance, or subjects them to physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse, or to any other activity reasonably likely to cause bodily injury.
| The conduct | The grade |
|---|---|
| The conductHazing | The gradeDisorderly persons offense |
| The conductHazing resulting in bodily injury | The gradeCrime of the fourth degree |
| The conductHazing resulting in death or serious bodily injury | The gradeCrime of the third degree |
The first caller for help is immune. A person, and anyone acting with them, is immune from prosecution for hazing if they were the first to call 9-1-1 or campus security, police or emergency services to report someone needing medical help because of hazing, gave their name, and stayed with the person until help arrived, cooperating on the scene.
- Consent is not a defense, and neither is approval by the organization or the institution.
- An organization or institution that knowingly or recklessly promotes hazing faces a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, and $5,000 to $15,000 for each later violation.
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 New Jersey attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- N.J.S.A. 2C:40-3 — Hazing
- N.J.S.A. 2C:40-4 — Aggravated hazing
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Jersey attorney.