With the rise of technology, internet-based crimes have become more common in our society. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, nearly 300,000 complaints were made concerning internet crime in 2017. Illinois ranked number seven on the list of states with the most internet crime incidences. The state of Illinois made changes to the Cyberstalking section of the Criminal Code of 2012, which went into effect at the beginning of 2018.

What Is Cyberstalking?

According to Illinois law, cyberstalking takes places when a person uses electronic communication to cause another person to fear for their safety or suffer emotional distress. The law also says that cyberstalking is committed if a person uses electronic communication to harass another person on two or more occasions and threatens bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint of the person or a family member of the person.

Unfortunately, one of the most abundant crimes in the United States is domestic violence. An estimated 12 million people are affected by domestic violence in the U.S. each year, according to The National Domestic Violence Hotline. Facing domestic violence charges can be a complicated and emotional process, but a good place to start is to understand the laws and consequences concerning domestic violence.

Illinois Definitions of Domestic Violence

In the state of Illinois, an event is deemed domestic violence if the act of abuse is perpetrated against a family or household member.

One of the most controversial and emotional crimes a person can be accused of - whether the accusation is true or not - is a sex crime. One of the reasons why sex crime accusations are so controversial is the unclarity of what does and does not insinuate consent. Each state has its own sexual consent laws and varying punishments for sex crimes. It’s important to understand what constitutes sexual consent in your state.

Sexual Consent in Illinois

According to Illinois state law, consent is defined as a freely given agreement to the act of sexual penetration or sexual conduct in question. It also states that a lack of verbal or physical resistance or submission by the victim in response to the use of force or threat of force does not constitute consent. Illinois state law also says that the manner of dress of the victim does not constitute consent. Furthermore, a person can withdraw consent during the course of a sexual act and any further action by the accused is considered non-consensual.

Being accused of embezzlement does not only threatens a person’s reputation and career but also their freedom. Embezzlement occurs when someone who was legally given access to property intentionally uses that property in an unlawful way.

Attempting to Prove Embezzlement

Embezzlement can occur for different forms of property, including:

Burglary occurs when a person knowingly enters an enclosed dwelling, such as a house or school or a vehicle, such as a car or an aircraft, without authorization, and with the intention of committing a crime. A burglary charge is very serious, but there are some defenses that may be available to an accused person.

Potential Defenses Against Burglary:

• Lawful entry - In this defense, a person had permission to enter the premises, so it can be argued that no breaking and entering occurred.
• Lack of intent - The prosecution will try to prove that a person knowingly entered a building with the intent to commit a crime, and not for some other purpose. If intent cannot be proven, charges may be dropped.
• Coercion - A person may be forced into committing a burglary by verbal or physical threats from another person. In some situations, coercion to commit burglary can be an act of domestic violence.
• Incapacitation - Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol can impair a person’s judgment and awareness and lead them to commit a crime. A person can normally use this defense only if another person drugged them or caused them to be intoxicated.

Lengthy Jail Sentences