STATUS CRIME an offense where there is no wrongful deed that would render the actor criminally liable if combined with mens rea. 261 N. W. 2d 847, 851-52... For example, although one may be convicted for the use of drugs one may not be convicted for the mere status of addiction to drugs. 370 U. S. 660 Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, Barron's Educational Series, Inc. (2010). I got that law dictionary in 1995, and I was surprised to read entries like that. And other things, like laws that unconstitutionally vague. Or that it is a very old concept in English common law, that laws are cruel and unusual if they are just unfair. I knew laws like that were ridiculous and probably should never be passed. But they are more than that. They are also unconstitutional, the US Supreme Court has been saying, for at least a hundred years now. I also looked up the subject, status crimes, in other books and reference guides. I was surprised to see what other laws people think should be overturned for being status crimes. Like begging. I also read that some people think prostitution is a status crime. I thought at first that was a typo. But I now know what they mean. Soliciting a prostitute is always a choice. But being a prostitute is sometimes not a voluntary choice fort the person at all. (Which believe it or not is one of the main arguments for legalizing prostitution almost completely.) I know one time when I went on my first message board about 20 years ago, I asked. Should vagrants who urinate in public be arrested? Some guy there said of course they should be. But is that a choice though? When you don't have access to a bathroom? Or you don't have access to a shower for your hygiene? Or have access to clothing, so you have no choice but to walk around naked? Some conservative judges say of course vagrancy is a choice. Because they are too lazy to work. In other words, the actor sets into motion the chain of events himself that lead him to that point. But like with drug addiction, that really isn't true. Because some of the events in their life are out of their control anyways. And even when they are in their control, those kinds of things are never a choice.
