In the US what will happen if you give a false tip to the police?

Question

What will be the concequences for a minor? Can the police find out if you give your tip to an anonymous hotline?

Answer 1

Usually nothing unless it causes some type of legal complication.

Answer 2

A side from that fact that because of your phone prank the police spent valuable time and resources that should have been used helping people were actually victims of crime. Your selfish prank may have cost someone their life because the police were not available to respond as quickly because you had to play a phone prank or someone with a real tip could not get through because you had to play on the telephone.

But if that's not consequence enough for you - consider this:

Minors are frequently tried as adults for murder - i.e. they get held responsible for their actions. A child under 13 is suspected of starting one of the wildfires in CA because of playing with matches and the case is being turned over to the prosecutor to review for possible charges. That child's parents may be held financially responsible for the damage that was caused because of the 38000 acre wildfire their child started.

Why do you think your being a minor would allow you not to have consequences? The fact that you are old enough to ask the question and use the computer - tells me you are old enough to be held responsible for your actions.

So- no phone pranks to the police or any other hot line.

Answer 3

Here's what wikipedia says about the term "Obstruction Of Justice":

"Modern obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of offering interference of any sort to the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other (usually government) officials. Often, no actual investigation or substantiated suspicion of a specific incident need exist to support a charge of obstruction of justice. Common law jurisdictions other than the United States tend to use the wider offense of Perverting the course of justice."

In many Hollywood movies, and even in real life, Obstruction of Justice is when someone in a capacity to "bend" the rules of law does so for the benefit of himself or someone else. "Clear and Present Danger ", starring Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, is a good example: the US President is involved in a cover-up to infiltrate the cocaine cartel in Central America with mercenaries without the knowledge of Congress. This is illegal and the President, at the end of the movie, was trying to convince Jack Ryan not to expose this "secret operation" to Congress. In this case, the former is obstructing justice.

Back to your original question: I think you are referring to "Tip Hotlines", which allow any individuals to report to the police any information that may lead to, say, the arrest of a suspected child molester. In this case, the reporter (the one who calls the Tip Hotline) does not necessarily have to have credible evidence that his/her report is valid. Any information submitted to the Tip Hotline should AND still be subject to verification from the authorities. If it's genuine, the police will happily thank the informer and probably even offer him/her a reward. Otherwise, it's ok. A lot of callers to Tip Hotlines, particularly those involving child molesters or pedophiles, are anonymous making it impossible to go after the person who submits reports.

Answer 4

If you give information that you believe to be truthful, and state the basis of your knowledge, and it turns out to be false, there is no criminal act.


If you intentionally give information trying to keep someone from being prosecuted or to harass someone else, you could be in serious trouble.

Obstruction of justice in the State of Illinois requires that the information be given with the intent to hinder the prosecution or apprehension of a person. It is a class 4 felony, for a first offense the sentence is 1-3 years, and for someone with a previous record, the sentence is 3-6 years.

A minor, depending on his or her age, would likely get a break for a first offense.

Answer 5

Its called obstruction of justice, it is a crime regardless of your age- they will be easier on a minor. And no, an anonymous hot line is just that, anonymous.