Ark. Code Ann. » Title 5 Chapter 54
Arkansas Code Annotated

Ark. Code Ann. § 5-54-131 (2026)

Absconding

✓ current as of May 2026
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  1. A person commits the offense of absconding if the person knowingly:
    1. Leaves a designated residence while under house arrest ordered as a condition of the person's release on a criminal offense by a court of competent jurisdiction;
    2. Leaves a designated area while wearing an electronic monitoring device ordered as a condition of the person's release on a criminal offense by a:
      1. Court of competent jurisdiction; or
        1. Sheriff or his or her designee.
        2. A determination by a sheriff or his or her designee placing a person on electronic monitoring remains valid until changed by the sheriff or his or her designee; or
    3. Fails to abide by the terms of his or her sentence or conditions imposed under § 16-90-122 concerning his or her release pending bed space at the Division of Correction or the Division of Community Correction by not reporting to a designated place or at a designated time in order to submit himself or herself to the custody of the Division of Correction or the Division of Community Correction to serve a period of incarceration he or she was previously ordered by a court to serve.
  2. The offense of absconding is a Class D felony.

History. Acts 1993, No. 473, § 1; 1999, No. 755, § 1; 2019, No. 505, § 1.

Amendments. The 2019 amendment added (a)(3).

Research References

U. Ark. Little Rock L.J.

Legislative Survey, Criminal Law, 16 U. Ark. Little Rock L.J. 91.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 1999–2019 · leading case: Bush v. State, 2 S.W.3d 761 (Ark. 1999).
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Bush v. State, 2 S.W.3d 761 (Ark. 1999). · cites it 9× “Absconding is defined under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-54-131 (Supp. 1999), which states that: (a) A person commits the offense of absconding if the person knowingly: (1) Leaves a designated residence while under house arrest ordered as a condition of the person’s release on a criminal…”
Tomes v. State, 2019 Ark. App. 267, 577 S.W.3d 21. · cites it 2× “At this point in Pippin's testimony, appellant's counsel objected, stating that the State filed its petition to revoke on the ground that appellant absconded, which is a term of law memorialized in Ark. Code Ann. § 5-54-131 . The State interrupted, explaining that "…”
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