A person generally commits the criminal offense of public lewdness or lewd conduct in public if the person knowingly engages in any of the following acts in a public place—or, if not in a public place, the person is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by the person’s (1) act of sexual intercourse; (2) act of deviate sexual intercourse; (3) act of sexual contact with a person’s own private parts or those of another.

Public lewdness laws vary from state to state, and some states define and charge such criminal offenses under indecent exposure laws. Public lewdness is usually a misdemeanor offense, but may be a felony offense under some circumstances. And in some states a conviction for public lewdness may require the defendant to register as a sex offender.

In Arizona, the criminal offense of public lewdness is typically addressed under the state's indecent exposure laws. According to Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1402, a person commits indecent exposure if they expose their genitals or anus or, if the person is female, areola or nipple of a breast, and another person is present, and the exposure is likely to offend, insult, or alarm an average person. This act must be done with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of either party. Indecent exposure is generally classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if the victim is under 15 years of age, it becomes a Class 6 felony. A conviction for indecent exposure can have serious consequences, including potential sex offender registration depending on the circumstances of the offense and the age of the victim.