Posted on August 12, 2015 in Criminal Defense

When a person is convicted of a crime it can be hard for his or her entire family. While one family member is in jail or prison, the other members of the family have to make their way over many hurdles to spend time with the incarcerated person. Sometimes the incarcerated person may put pressure on his or her family members to break some of the rules, and even sneak in some forbidden items. Doing this and getting caught can result in severe consequences for everyone involved.

Bringing Contraband into a Penal Institution

It is a crime to bring contraband into a penal institution. What constitutes contraband? Contraband includes items such as alcohol, drugs, syringes or needles, weapons, firearms, ammunition, explosives, tools to defeat security mechanisms, cutting tools, and electronic contraband like cell phones and recording devices. Penal institutions include prisons, jails, halfway houses, and other similar institutions. A person can be found guilty of bringing contraband into a penal institution if the prosecutor can prove that a person:

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 Posted on August 10, 2015 in White collar crime

Some types of crimes are motivated purely by financial gain, and these types of crimes are called “white collar” crimes, referring to the non-violent and money-centric nature of these crimes. White collar crimes often involve fraud in some form, dishonest behavior, or the inappropriate handling of funds or money that belongs to someone else. White collar crimes are often characterized by a highly complicated scheme devised to improperly make or steal money without anyone either noticing that money is missing or being able to easily identify the source of the theft. When white collar crimes happen, many people are affected and victimized.

Most Common White Collar Crimes

There are a number of white collar crimes that result in criminal charges. Fraud is the most common white collar offense, and it takes many forms. Wire, mail and internet fraud; business, business investment, and business opportunity fraud; bank, insurance and mortgage fraud; medicare-medicaid fraud; and securities fraud are some of the most highly popularized and widely reported white collar crimes in the media. For example, failed Ponzi schemes and insider trading are two white collar crimes that many people have heard about in the news due to the high profile individuals that have been involved in these crimes.

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 Posted on August 05, 2015 in Criminal Defense

When driving privileges are taken away in Illinois, they may be taken away in one of three manners:

• Driver’s License Suspension. When your driver’s license is suspended, your driving privileges have temporarily been withdrawn. You will get your driving privileges back so long as you do not do anything to make your situation worse. A suspension only lasts for a designated amount of time, or until you pay or reach an agreement concerning payment for money that you owe, such as for outstanding child support or unpaid court fines.
• Driver’s License Revocation. When your driver’s license is revoked, your driving privileges have been taken away indefinitely, and there is no guarantee that you will ever get them reinstated.
• Driver’s License Cancellation. When your driver’s license is canceled, you have no driving privileges in Illinois.

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 Posted on August 03, 2015 in Victim Rights

Both the United States and Illinois have two different justice systems: the criminal justice system and the civil justice system. When you are charged with a criminal offense your case is supposed to be handled in the criminal justice system. However, over time some of the important distinctions between the two have become blurred. This is particularly clear when it comes to so-called victims’ rights provisions, like those found in the Illinois Constitution.

The Traditional Difference between the Criminal and Civil Justice Systems

The criminal and civil justice systems are different. The civil justice system is wherein civil lawsuits are filed by ordinary individuals. This system exists to address grievances that exist between private people, between a private person and a company, or between two companies. In contrast, the criminal justice system is meant to have nothing to do with private wrongs. Within the criminal justice system, a person may be accused of committing a crime against the state. That is why these cases are prosecuted by a “state’s attorney” rather than some private attorney hired by the accuser or his or her family. Each system has its own burden of proof and its own mechanism of justice. While in the criminal system, imprisonment is available if a person is found guilty, in the civil system the liable person is held responsible by being ordered to pay money to the injured person.

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 Posted on July 29, 2015 in Your Rights

Most people know that when you are charged with a criminal offense that you have certain rights under the United States Constitution. However, what many people do not realize is that each state also has its own constitution, and those constitutions provide additional protections for criminal defendants. To be sure, Illinois has protections for criminal defendants in its constitution as well.

Protections that Are Similar to Federal Protections

Some right enumerated in the Illinois Constitution are basically the same as or exactly the same as those listed in the United States Constitution. For example, the two documents provide some of the same protections when it comes to searches and seizures. However, the Illinois Constitution goes further and actually addresses specific issues like eavesdropping and invasions of privacy, which are not specifically discussed in the United States Constitution. The Illinois Constitution also provides a right to counsel, a right to confront witnesses, a right to compel witnesses to testify, and a right to a speedy public trial. All of these rights are similar to rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution. There are also similar prohibitions on self-incrimination and double jeopardy.

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 Posted on July 27, 2015 in Criminal Defense

Hazing used to be a regular part of high school and college life, but now it is often considered a criminal offense. As a result of hazing going too far at multiple institutions and students being seriously hurt or even killed, a once normal right of passage is now forbidden by schools and universities. Engaging in some types of hazing can lead to a student being in serious trouble, not just with his or her school, but with the law as well.

The Law against Hazing

Illinois statute forbids certain kinds of hazing. Legally speaking, a person commits hazing when he or she requires the commitment of any act by a student or other person in a school for the purpose of induction into any group connected with the institution if two specific requirements are met. First, the act must not be sanctioned or authorized by the educational institution. Second, the act must result in bodily harm to any person. As such, harmless traditional types of hazing may not result in legal action, although they may still be against school policy and result in suspension or even expulsion under some school rules. However, any type of hazing that could result in someone getting hurt, including alcohol-related hazing, could result in criminal charges. Usually hazing is a misdemeanor, but if it results in death or great bodily harm, the charge can be a felony.

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 Posted on July 22, 2015 in Criminal Defense

Adolescence is a time of rebellion. Whether a child’s family circumstances are wonderful or horrifying, a normal part of being a teenager is testing boundaries and beginning to assert authority over one’s own life. One way many teenagers, and sometimes younger children, try to assert some control is through body modification, including piercing and tattoos. However, there are strict regulations regarding providing these services to minors. If you provide either of these services to a minor in violation of these regulations, you can find yourself charged with a criminal offense.

Tattooing the Body of a Minor

One such offense is tattooing the body of a minor. A person is usually guilty of this offense if he or she tattoos a person under the age of 18. There is an exception to this law for doctors since they have to tattoo patients undergoing certain treatments for conditions like cancer. This law is so strict that people under 18 are not even allowed to be in tattoo parlors unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Tattooing for purposes of this law is defined simply as inserting pigment under the skin of a human being by pricking with a needle to create a visible mark. Interestingly a person who tattoos a minor cannot be prosecuted under this law if he or she him or herself is a minor, so long as the tattooing is not done at a tattoo parlor. There are also certain exceptions for registered tattoo parlors to help remove gang tattoos and tattoos given to victims of human trafficking. Otherwise, tattooing a minor is considered a Class A misdemeanor so it can result in not only a fine, but jail time as well.

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 Posted on July 20, 2015 in Criminal Defense

Parenting a child is hard. It is one of the hardest things there is to do, and while there are plenty of books on it there is no one agreed upon instruction manual that works for parenting every single child. Because of this the government has traditionally given parents significant leeway when it comes to making parenting choices. However, particularly in modern times, there are some sorts of parenting issues in which the government does involve itself. While the physical or sexual abuse of a child are some of the most drastic cases, issues like child endangerment and abandonment can also result in criminal charges.

What Is the Crime of Child Endangerment?

While the crime of child endangerment seems like it could include almost anything, it has a narrow definition defined by Illinois law. In order to be guilty of this crime a person must either (1) cause or allow the life or health of a child under the age of 18 to be endangered, or (2) cause or allow a child to be put in circumstances that endanger his or her life or health. A common cause of this sort of charge is leaving a child unattended in hot car. As a general rule a child under age six is considered “unattended” if he or she is left in the car for more than 10 minutes, although the jury can consider other issues. Depending on whether the offense is a first offense and whether the child dies as a result of the endangerment, this crime can be a felony or a misdemeanor. If the person who endangers the child is the child’s parent there is a special program under which the parent can be placed on probation and, if the parent cooperates and works with the Department of Family and Children’s Services, the charges may be dismissed.

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 Posted on July 15, 2015 in Your Rights

Two of the most common types of criminal charges are drug charges and weapons charges. These two types of cases have something in common. They often involve a police officer searching some area (like a car or a home or a person) and finding an item that is the very basis of the crime, like a gun or drugs. Of course, many people understand that in most situations the police need a warrant to go in and search someone’s home. This is ultimately because of the Fourth Amendment. However what many people do not understand is that, because of some United States Supreme Court decisions, the police usually do not need a warrant to search a vehicle.

Occasionally the Police Need a Warrant to Search a Car

Very often police do not need a warrant to search your vehicle. Certainly, however, there are some exceptions. For example, if your car is being stored in your garage at your home and none of the warrant exceptions apply that would allow the police to search your home without a warrant, then they probably cannot search the car without a warrant (or your permission) either. This is because without your permission or a warrant, they cannot go into the garage. However, if your car were parked on a public street in front of your house, then a warrant likely would not be required.

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 Posted on July 13, 2015 in Sex Crimes

Google made big news recently when it announced its decision to remove nude or sexually explicit images posted on the internet without consent from its search results. The practice of posting private sexual images without the consent of the person in the pictures is commonly referred to as “revenge porn.” This name comes from the practice of jilted lovers posting intimate pictures of an ex once a romantic relationship has ended. Historically there were few laws governing this practice. However, Illinois recently passed a strict criminal law that deals with this issue.

Illinois Passed a Strict Law against Revenge Porn

In December of last year, former Governor Quinn signed a strict anti-revenge porn law into effect before leaving office. This law goes so far as to make it a felony to post sexually explicit photos or videos of another person online without his or her consent. This new law just went into effect on June 1. The crime is a Class 4 felony, which can be punished by one to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Additionally, if a person who posts these images makes money off of them or receives any goods in exchange for posting them, the law requires that the money or goods be forfeited. The law does not just cover pornographic websites. It also prohibits the posting of these images without consent on other types of websites, including social media websites.

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