Legal Definitions - loiter

Definition: To be slow or lazy, delay, linger, saunter, and to idle. It does not necessarily mean something bad or criminal, except when it is defined as such in criminal laws. Loitering laws prohibit lingering in a public area without a purpose.

• In Florida, it is illegal to loiter or prowl in a place, at a time or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals, under circumstances that warrant a justifiable and reasonable alarm or immediate concern for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity.
• In New York, a person is guilty of loitering in the first degree when they loiter or remain in any place with one or more persons for the purpose of unlawfully using or possessing a controlled substance.

These examples illustrate how loitering laws can be used to prevent criminal activity. In Florida, the law is designed to prevent people from lingering in a way that could cause alarm or concern for safety. In New York, the law is aimed at preventing drug use or possession in public places.