OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC DECENCY

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. II, ch. 421, art. I

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 421-101 Strict enforcement of this article.

Sec. 421-101. - Strict enforcement of this article. The preservation of the public morals from debasing influences is declared essential to the welfare and order of the city; therefore the suppression and control of immorality in the matters set out in this article shall be strictly enforced. (Code 1975, § 20-117)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 421-102 Exhibitions of the human form.

Sec. 421-102. - Exhibitions of the human form. It shall be unlawful for any person to open, maintain or operate a museum or exhibition of human anatomy as a source of profit or business; it shall also be unlawful for any person to cause the display or exhibition of the human form, or parts thereof, as a business or as a source of private profit. (Code 1975, § 20-118)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 421-103 Sale of contraceptive devices.

Sec. 421-103. - Sale of contraceptive devices. (a) In promoting the public morals, health, peace and security in the city, each of the following acts and things in the city are hereby prohibited and declared to be unlawful: (1) For any person, except upon the prescription of or when delivered by a duly licensed physician, to sell or otherwise dispose of, or to permit the sale or other disposition of, any of the devices described in subsection (b) below to any person who is known by such seller to be under the age of eighteen (18) years; and any person so receiving any such devices, whenever his true age is in doubt to the seller, shall sign a statement giving his true age, name and address, which statement shall be preserved by the seller. Any false statement by any such person shall be a violation of this chapter. (2) For any person to sell, offer for sale, give away or otherwise dispose of in any manner any kind of device or substance described in subsection (b) below, except a duly registered pharmacist or licensed physician, in which case such devices are to be sold or disposed of by them only in their respective authorized places of business, while there and therein so acting as such pharmacist or physician; provided, however, this paragraph shall not apply to wholesale druggists, jobbers or manufacturers who sell any such goods in their regular business to retail drugstores or physicians only. (b) "Device" as used in this section shall include any kind of sex-exciting device or substance; or any contraceptive device whether of rubber or of any other material; or any other devices or articles, any of which are designed or capable of or intended to be used by persons of either sex for either the prevention of venereal disease or the prevention or hindrance of conception. (Code 1975, § 20-119)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 421-104 Indecent solicitation; enforcement procedure; definitions; penalty.

Sec. 421-104. - Indecent solicitation; enforcement procedure; definitions; penalty. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter or remain in a public place in a manner and under circumstances manifesting the purpose of engaging or soliciting another person to engage in sexual activity. The circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such purposes are manifested are that such person is a known prostitute or panderer; or repeatedly beckons to, stops or attempts to stop passersby; or repeatedly engages passersby in conversation; or repeatedly stops or attempts to stop motor vehicle operators by hailing, waving of arms or any other bodily gestures. (1) No summons shall be issued for a violation of this section unless the arresting officer first offers such person an opportunity to explain such conduct. (2) No person shall be convicted of a violation of this section if the arresting officer does not comply with the preceding subsection or if it appears at trial that the explanation offered was true and disclosed a lawful purpose. (b) Definitions. As used in this section. (1) "Known prostitute or panderer" means a person who, within one (1) year previous to the date of an issuance of a summons for a violation of this section, has, to the knowledge of the arresting officer, been convicted of a violation of any ordinance of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County or statute of the State of Indiana defining and punishing acts of prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, or promoting prostitution. (2) "Loitering" means remaining idle in essentially one (1) place and shall include the concepts of spending time idly, loafing or walking about aimlessly. (3) "Public place" means an area, either publicly owned or to which the public has access. (4) "Sexual activity" or "sexual conduct" means acts of prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, or promoting prostitution as such acts are proscribed and defined by IC 35-45-4-2, 35-45-4-3 and 35-45-4-4, or as these statutes hereafter shall be amended. (c) Any person who violates the provisions of this section and if found guilty of said violation shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00). Each day that a violation occurs shall be considered as a separate offense. (Code 1975, § 20-120)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 421-105 Keeping and frequenting disorderly house or a dive.

Sec. 421-105. - Keeping and frequenting disorderly house or a dive. (a) A "dive" as used in this section shall include the following: (1) Any unlicensed place where alcoholic, malt or vinous liquors are kept, sold, dispensed or disposed of in violation of law and where persons are permitted to drink or obtain alcoholic, malt or vinous liquors. (2) Any place where persons are allowed or encouraged to congregate and loiter or to gather for purposes of gambling or for any other unlawful purpose. (3) Any place in which gambling devices are operated, stored, possessed, sold, manufactured, rented, leased or repaired. For purposes of this paragraph, "gambling device" shall include, but not be limited to, dice, dice table, bank clearing slips, baseball, basketball or football betting tickets, counters, policy tickets, money or merchandise pushcards, punchboards, drawing jars, lottery tickets or wheels. (4) Any place where persons are allowed or encouraged to observe or participate in acts of "public indecency" as that phrase is defined by state law. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain a dive; and it shall be unlawful for any person to go to, enter or frequent any such place knowing it is to be used for such purpose, or engage in or aid and abet other persons to engage in any such acts. (Code 1975, § 20-43)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 421-106 Inducing public indecency or prostitution.

Sec. 421-106. - Inducing public indecency or prostitution. Any person who acts in a manner and under circumstances manifesting an intent to induce, entice, solicit or procure another person to commit an act of public indecency as defined in IC 35-45-4-1 or an act of prostitution as defined in IC 35-45-4-2 et seq. shall be guilty of an offense. (Code 1975, § 20-44)

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIPUORSA_CH421PUDEOB_ARTIOFAGPUDEFetched: 10/27/2026