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Recent Blog Posts
Traffic Fatalities on the Rise in Illinois
Traffic fatalities and collisions involving serious bodily injury are on the rise in Illinois and have been for the past few years, according to WTTW Public News. To be sure, 2016 was deadlier than 2015; 2017 was deadlier than 2016; and, it looks like 2018 will be deadlier than 2017, as preliminary data from the Illinois Department of Transportation shows with still over two months to go until the final numbers are in. What does this mean for drivers who have been cited with moving violations and those who have been charged with causing bodily injury or death? Because Illinois, like most states, is seeing a rise in traffic collisions, prosecutors are more likely to bring the heaviest penalties possible on those who have allegedly violated the law. Some of the most serious Illinois traffic violations include the following:
Reckless Homicide—Drivers who cause the death of another while driving in a reckless manner or in a way that is likely to cause bodily injury or death will be charged with reckless homicide. Depending on the circumstances of the collision, defendants charged with reckless homicide can be sentenced to a maximum of 28 years in prison.
Inaccuracies of Surveillance Cameras
A suspect thought to be targeting and shooting random people in Loyola Park near Chicago is believed to live in the area after a surveillance camera spotted him walking down the street masked in black. Police believe that the man who has killed two people in the past two days has a distinctive way of walking and running, as the video surveillance points out. Police say that he walks with his feet pointing outwards, or duck-footed. While video does show the distinctive characteristic, the problem with relying heavily on this type of information is that it could lead to the arrest of the wrong person. Many people walk with their feet pointed outwards, and because the suspect’s face is fully covered, no other characteristics are visible other than his gait. Surveillance footage is typically grainy, the suspect in the footage may be in the background or partially out of the frame, and the angle of the camera may cause distortions or irregularities. On top of this, surveillance footage is often overly relied upon by jurors and is sometimes considered foolproof evidence that the defendant committed the crime.
The Wrongs to Children Act
Child labor laws have come a long way since the beginning of the 20th century, when millions of children throughout the U.S. worked in factories, in plants, and on the street. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one out of eight children was employed in 1870. By 1900, one out of five children was employed. Nowadays, it is rare that a child under 15 years of age is employed, aside from farm work or normal chores.
Why Do We Need Child Labor Laws?
In the past, U.S. children were taken advantage of as “employees.” They were abused physically and emotionally, they were not given fair wages, their working conditions were atrocious, and most importantly of all, they were not allowed to be children. A child with a 10 or 12 hour work day, which was not uncommon in the early 1900s, would, of course, have no time or energy to devote to education, play, rest, or happiness. Child labor is still a large problem in third world countries, with one in four children between the ages of five and 17 working in sub-Saharan Africa, according to UNICEF.
Disorderly Conduct Offenses
Disorderly conduct, 720 ILCS 5/26-1, may sound like a harmless offense—one that will result in nothing more than a few days of community service at the worst, but in reality, it can be a life-altering moment in a person’s life. Depending on the circumstances, disorderly conduct is a felony. Being found guilty could mean the end of your career, your social status within your community, your child custody or visitation rights, and more: your freedom. Disorderly conduct can result in one to three years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
What Were You Charged For?
The most common scenarios of a defendant being charged with disorderly conduct include the following:
- Being drunk in public—While it is not a crime in and of itself to walk down the street or sit in a bar while being intoxicated, acting in an overtly drunk, loud, obnoxious, or harassing manner is a crime. All it takes is a few too many drinks and a lapse in judgment to end up behind bars for the night, with a disorderly conduct charge looming in your future.
Fleeing or Evading Police
One of the most serious traffic crimes is fleeing or evading the police. Bureau of Justice Statistics data reveals that one person dies every day during police chases. The penalties for fleeing law enforcement are founded on the sheer danger that fleeing or evading police has on other road users as well as the fact that if a harsh penalty did not exist, police would have a very difficult time arresting anyone. As such, fleeing the police results in a Class A misdemeanor and license suspension of up to six months for a first-time offense, up to 12 months for a second offense, and a Class 4 felony for third and subsequent offenses. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail, while a Class 4 felony is punishable by one to three years in state prison and a maximum fine of $25,000.
Definition of Fleeing or Evading Law Enforcement
According to Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/11-204, fleeing or evading must have the following elements:
What Is Obstruction of Justice?
The news cycle has been full of the phrase ‘obstruction of justice’ in recent months, but while it can be a crime that affects the highest officials in the country, it can also be a crime that an average person is charged with when they become involved in a criminal investigation. If you are less than truthful with law enforcement, you may wind up on the receiving end of obstruction charges if you are not careful, and the penalty can be quite severe.
No Physical Act Necessary
Illinois’ relevant statute defines obstruction of justice as willfully performing certain actions, such as concealing evidence or witnesses, or lying to police, with the intent to “prevent the apprehension of” or “obstruct the prosecution or defense of” any one specific person. In other words, if someone lies to the police or conceals or destroys evidence with the intent to stop a criminal case from going forward, they may (at least in theory) be charged with obstruction of justice.
Penalties for Teenage Breaking and Entering
Breaking and entering has long been a sort of game for teenagers looking for a thrill. For example, teens in Colorado recently broke into a Colorado home, threw a party, and recorded it on Snapchat. Teens and younger adolescents may dare or encourage one another to break into abandoned homes, which may not actually be abandoned, schools, and other structures. However, breaking and entering, which is called burglary whether there was an intent to steal something or not, is a felony crime.
Residential Burglary and Possession of Burglary Tools
Under Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/19-3, the elements of residential burglary include the following:
- Knowingly entering a residence (including a car, RV, boat, railroad car, or other structure) without permission;
- Entering or remaining in a residence for the purpose of committing a theft or other felony; or
- Misrepresenting oneself in order to gain entrance to a residence for the purpose of committing a theft or other felony.
Fighting a Third or Fourth DUI Charge
One-third of drivers arrested for drunk driving are repeat offenders, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data revealed that for some states, 47 percent of DUI offenders are repeat offenders. Ultimately, if you have already been convicted of one DUI, there a high chance that you will be charged with another. Moreover, after a second DUI conviction in Illinois, the penalties become much higher.
Aggravated DUI
An aggravated DUI is a serious offense — one that results in mandatory imprisonment or community service terms not being eligible for suspension or reduction. Additionally, aggravated DUI charges result in a minimum of 480 hours of community service or 10 days of imprisonment for those out on probation or conditional discharge. Aggravated DUI is charged when the offender was driving under the influence:
Possession or Sale of Hypodermic Needles
Having a hypodermic needle in your possession can land you in cuffs. This is due to Illinois’ Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act, which makes it illegal for minors to be in possession of any hypodermic needles or syringes, and illegal for adults to possess hypodermic needles for the injection of controlled substances. Studies have shown that Needle and Syringe Exchange Policies (NSEPs) drive down HIV and other needle-transmitted-diseases, so why is possessing needles a crime, even if used for injecting drugs? Unfortunately, the logic of this law is as unjust as it is flawed, and is simply another criminal charge in the name of the war on drugs, tacked on increase overall prison time and incentivize defendants to take a quick plea deal.
What the Law Says About Needle Possession
Under Illinois statute 720 ILCS 635, it is illegal for anyone to possess a “hypodermic syringe, needle or “other instrument adapted for the use of controlled substances or cannabis by subcutaneous injection.” Adults are legally allowed to purchase dozens of syringes from pharmacies and possess up to 100 at any given time, so the mere possession of such a needle is not a crime. What makes the needle illegal is when it is used or intended to be used for injecting controlled substances, unless of course, you are a physician, nurse, or hospital worker performing your professional duties. A defense to this criminal offense is proving that the needle was used for another purpose other than delivering a controlled substance. Common reasons and medical conditions for using hypodermic needles and syringes include:
Child Abandonment
Over 25 years ago, a St. Charles couple decided to go on vacation to Mexico for nine days. They decided not to bring their children along, and while Home Alone II was playing in theaters, these two real-life parents left their nine- and four-year-old daughters home alone intentionally. They were arrested and their story gained national media attention, eventually leading to the creation of Illinois’ child abandonment law. Today, child abandonment is a serious criminal offense that can be penalized as a Class 4 felony, which carries a prison sentence of one to three years and a maximum fine of $25,000.
Characteristics Defining Child Abandonment
Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/12-21.5 defines child abandonment as the following:
A parent, caregiver, or other guardian who currently has physical custody or control of a child under 13 years of age leaves that child without “supervision by a responsible person over the age of 14” for 24 hours or longer. This statute does not include those who legally relinquish a child in accordance with the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. In order to determine whether or not the child’s mental or physical health or safety or welfare was disregarded, the following will be taken into consideration;
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