When it comes to the people responsible for a crime, in some cases, it can be more than just the offender who is held responsible for the commission of the crime. This is the basic idea behind the concept of criminal accountability. In the state of Illinois, it is legal for a person to be arrested and charged for simply knowing about a crime that someone else committed. While this may seem unfair, the law of accountability has actually helped Illinois law enforcement with the prosecution of criminal organizations and gang members. However, the law of accountability can also unfairly and unjustly convict innocent people of crimes that they did not commit and should not be accountable for.

What Is the “Law of Accountability” in Illinois?

Many states across the country, including Illinois, have created laws that are known as accountability laws, which allows the state to convict individuals of crimes that they did not commit, but that they were “accessories” to or “passive participants” in. Specifically, the Illinois Criminal Code states that a person is legally accountable for the actions of another person when they have the intent to promote or facilitate the commission of a crime and they aid, abet, agree, or attempt to aid another person in the planning or commission of the offense.

In today’s world, everyone is busier than ever, especially parents. Every second of every day seems to be filled with something, making it necessary to save time anywhere you can. In some cases, there just is not enough time to take your child in and out of their car seat every time you have to run an errand, especially if you are just making a quick stop, such as picking up prescriptions. According to Safe Kids, around 14 percent of parents have admitted to intentionally leaving their infants, toddlers, and kindergarten-aged children in a parked vehicle. While this may seem convenient to some, you could end up facing serious criminal charges in Illinois if you leave your child unattended in a vehicle. 

Understanding Child Endangerment Charges

According to the Illinois Criminal Code, child endangerment can be defined in two different ways. Child endangerment can mean:

Much of the anxiety and trepidation that comes when you are arrested for a crime is simply a result of not knowing how your case will resolve. In many cases, a person will be arrested, arraigned on his or her charges, and then will not actually go to trial for several months because of the backlog of court cases. During this period of time, there are some people who are required to await their trial in jail, whereas others are able to pass the time by going about their lives in a modified manner. This is called pretrial release and is commonly present in criminal cases, though not all criminal defendants are eligible for release. A skilled criminal law attorney can defend the rights if you are arrested for a crime and can advise you of your rights regarding pretrial release.

Factors Considered During the Detention Hearing

Some of the main purposes of the pretrial release system include ensuring defendants will appear at their trials, giving due process to these defendants, and protecting the victims and community from danger. These are some of the first considerations a judge will make during a detention hearing when determining whether or not to grant pretrial release to a defendant.

If you are arrested and charged with a crime in Illinois, the court has to determine if they must hold you until your first court date, or if you can be released while awaiting trial. If you are released on bail, you must post a bond. A bond is an official document that states that you will appear at your trial or face additional consequences and can be secured through monetary means or through your own recognizance if the judge does not deem you a flight risk.

Being released from jail on bail also almost always means that there will be certain rules and requirements that you must adhere to while you are awaiting your trial. These rules, or conditions, are non-negotiable and are set forth by the judge after he or she has examined the details of your case. This is why the conditions of bail can be different for everyone, but it is important that you do not violate these requirements or you could face even more criminal charges.

In recent months, police officers have been placed under extreme scrutiny for the way that they treat civilians, specifically, people of color. Across the country, protests and marches have been taking place since late May in response to the death of George Floyd, an African American man who was killed during an arrest when an officer knelt on his windpipe for eight minutes. Though each police department has its own rules, there are certain regulations that all officers must abide by. Unfortunately, not all police officers are good people who follow the rules, resulting in illegal arrests, unlawful actions toward the suspect, and in extreme cases, death. The United States Constitution provides many of these rights if you have been arrested for a crime. It is important that you understand these rights, as they can be a useful tool when defending your criminal case.

Understanding Your Miranda Rights

If you have ever watched TV shows or movies that deal with police officers or the criminal justice system, you may have heard the term “Miranda rights” before. These are rights that are legally required to be read to you before you are interrogated or questioned so the officers are aware that you understand your rights and the consequences of ignoring them. Typically, an officer will relay these Miranda rights to a suspect in a similar format during or after an arrest: