Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 53a — PENAL CODE · Chapter 952 — Penal Code: Offenses
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-186 (2026)

Public indecency: Class B misdemeanor

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) A person is guilty of public indecency when he performs any of the following acts in a public place: (1) An act of sexual intercourse as defined in subdivision (2) of section 53a-65; or (2) a lewd exposure of the body with intent to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desire of the person; or (3) a lewd fondling or caress of the body of another person. For the purposes of this section, “public place” means any place where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by others.

(b) Public indecency is a class B misdemeanor.

(1969, P.A. 828, S. 188; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 46; P.A. 76-336, S. 22; P.A. 92-260, S. 72.)

History: 1971 act substituted “A person” for “Any person” for consistency with other statutes; P.A. 76-336 specified sexual intercourse as defined in Sec. 53a-65 and deleted reference to acts of deviate sexual conduct in Subsec. (a) for conformity with changes enacted re sex offenses; P.A. 92-260 made technical changes in Subsec. (a) by repositioning and rephrasing language.

Cited. 18 CA 482; 29 CA 591; 37 CA 534.

Cited. 38 CS 313; Id., 661.

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PART XVII*

TAMPERING WITH PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS,
EAVESDROPPING, VOYEURISM AND UNLAWFUL
DISSEMINATION OF INTIMATE IMAGES

*See chapter 959a re wiretapping and electronic surveillance.

Secs. 53a-187 to 53a-189 cited. 238 C. 692.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 27 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1979–2023 · leading case: State v. Waterman, 825 A.2d 63 (Conn. 2003).
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State v. Waterman, 825 A.2d 63 (Conn. 2003). · cites it 6× “On April 6, 2001, following a jury trial, the defendant was convicted of one count of public indecency in violation of General Statutes § 53a-186 (a) (2), 2 and acquitted of two counts of risk of injury to a child in violation of General Statutes (Rev.”
State v. Cutro, 657 A.2d 239 (Conn. App. Ct. 1995). · cites it 9× “Pursuant to General Statutes § 53a-186 (a) (2), a person is guilty of public indecency when he performs, in a public place, “a lewd exposure of the body with intent *543 to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desire of the person.”
State v. Morascini, 772 A.2d 703 (Conn. App. Ct. 2001). · cites it 6× “The defendant, Anthony Morascini, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of public indecency in violation of General Statutes § 53a-186 (a) (2) 1 and breach of the peace in *760 violation of General Statutes § 53a-181 (a) (5).”
State v. Erzen, 617 A.2d 177 (Conn. App. Ct. 1992). · cites it 8× “The public indecency statute, General Statutes § 53a-186, 4 is instructive as to what behavior is likely to impair the morals of a minor.”
State v. Ovechka, 975 A.2d 1 (Conn. 2009). · cites it 4× ““On July 23, 2003, the defendant was charged in an information 7 with assault in the third degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-61 (a) (1) and breach of the peace in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-181 (a) (1), both in connection with an…”
State v. Briggs, 426 A.2d 298 (Conn. 1979). · cites it 4× “The defendant was convicted after a trial to a jury of kidnapping in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-94 (a), sexual assault in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-70 (a), and two counts of *330 public indecency in violation of General…”
State v. Lynch, 1 A.3d 1254 (Conn. App. Ct. 2010). · cites it 6× “Lynch, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of risk of injury to a child in violation of General Statutes § 53-21 (a) (1) and public indecency in violation of General Statutes § 53a-186 (a) (2). On appeal, the defendant claims that (1) the trial…”
State v. Misiorski, 738 A.2d 595 (Conn. 1999). · cites it 3× “” General Statutes § 53a-186 provides in relevant part: “Public indecency: Class B misdemeanor, (a) A person is guilty of public indecency when he performs any of the following ads in a public, place: (1) An act of sexual intercourse as defined in subdivision (2) of section…”
State v. Jason B., 729 A.2d 760 (Conn. 1999). · cites it 2× “General Statutes § 53a-186 (statutory provision criminalizing sexual conduct in public places).”
Shannon v. Comm'r of Hous., 140 A.3d 903 (Conn. 2016). · cites it 4× “At the time the plaintiff entered the rental assistance program, he also was subject to a separate registration obligation arising from an offense committed in Connecticut, namely, a June 1, 2000 conviction for public indecency with a minor victim in violation of General…”
State v. Ovechka, 984 A.2d 796 (Conn. App. Ct. 2010). · cites it 2× ““On July 23, 2003, the defendant was charged in an information with assault in the third degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-61 (a) (1) and breach of the peace in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-181 (a) (1), both in connection with [the]…”
State v. Vega, 444 A.2d 927 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1982). · cites it 4× “After a jury trial, the defendant was found guilty of public indecency, in violation of General Statutes § 53a-186 (a) (2). The defendant has appealed *314 from the judgment rendered challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, the admissibility of certain evidence and the…”
Show all 27 citing cases →
— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-186(a)(2) — 2 cases
State v. Ovechka, 975 A.2d 1 (Conn. 2009). ““On July 23, 2003, the defendant was charged in an information 7 with assault in the third degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-61 (a) (1) and breach of the peace in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-181 (a) (1), both in connection with an…”
State v. Ovechka, 915 A.2d 926 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007).
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