---
title: O.C.G.A. § 49-4A-11. Aiding or encouraging escape; sheltering; hindering apprehension; penalty.
collection: code
id: 49-4A-11
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 49-4A-11 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4A-11
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4A-11.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4A-11/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t49-t50-ch1-12-(v38)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=60c992b5_0#page=217
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: SOCIAL SERVICES / DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 49-4A-11. Aiding or encouraging escape; sheltering; hindering apprehension; penalty.

(a) Any person who shall knowingly aid, assist, or encourage any child who has been committed to the department to escape or to attempt to escape its control or custody shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

(b) Any person who shall knowingly harbor or shelter any child who has escaped the lawful custody or control of the department shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

(c) Any person who shall knowingly hinder the apprehension of any child under the supervision of the Department of Community Supervision or the lawful control or custody of the department who has been placed by the department in one of its institutions or facilities and who has escaped therefrom or who has been placed under supervision and is alleged to have broken the conditions thereof shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

## History

Code 1981, § 49-4A-11, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 1983, § 24; Ga. L. 1996, p. 988, § 3; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1339, § 1A/SB 366; Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 3-11/HB 242; Ga. L. 2015, p. 422, § 5-102/HB 310.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 1996, p. 988, § 3, not codified by the General Assembly, makes this Code section applicable to offenses committed on or after July 1, 1996.

Ga. L. 2012, p. 1339, § 3/SB 366, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that the amendment of this Code section shall apply to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2012.

Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 5-1/HB 242, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2014, and shall apply to all offenses which occur and juvenile proceedings commenced on and after such date. Any offense occurring before January 1, 2014, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such offense and shall be considered a prior adjudication for the purpose of imposing a disposition that provides for a different penalty for subsequent adjudications, of whatever class, pursuant to this Act. The enactment of this Act shall not affect any prosecutions for acts occurring before January 1, 2014, and shall not act as an abatement of any such prosecutions.”

Ga. L. 2015, p. 422, § 6-1/HB 310, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that the amendment by this Act shall apply to sentences entered on or after July 1, 2015.

## Law Reviews

For review of 1996 children and youth services legislation, see 13 Ga. U. L. Rev. 314 (1996).

For article on the 2015 amendment of this Code section, see 32 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 231 (2015).