What Is Considered a Violent Crime in Illinois?
Illinois law (725 ILCS 120/3) defines violent crime as:
- any felony in which force or threat of force was used, including:
- assault
- battery
- robbery
- kidnapping
- arson
- homicide/murder
- sex crimes involving exploitation, misconduct, or sexual penetration, or any other sex crime in 720 ILCS 5:
- child pornography and aggravated child pornography
- sexual exploitation or abuse of a child
- non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images (“revenge porn”)
- Creating, transmitting, or soliciting explicit digital material involving minors
- domestic battery or stalking
- violation of an order of protection (restraining order) or a no-contact order
- any misdemeanor that results in death or great bodily harm
- any DUI, reckless homicide, or similar vehicle offense that results in personal injury or death
The label “violent” can also attach when a weapon is used, serious injury occurs, or a protected person (a minor or someone with a disability) is involved.
Illinois law treats violent crime cases as public-safety priorities. That means prosecutors push for tough bond conditions, seek prison time, and ask for enhancements when the facts allow.
Even before trial, you may face protective orders, travel limits, and constraints that affect work and family. The earlier a violent crimes lawyer in Southern Illinois gets involved, the more opportunities there are to protect your rights and obtain the best possible outcome in your case.
Examples Violent Crime Charges We Defense in Southern Illinois
- Assault and Aggravated Assault: threatening someone with immediate harm. Becomes aggravated with a weapon, certain locations, or protected victims.
- Battery and Aggravated Battery: causing bodily harm or making physical contact that’s insulting or provoking. Aggravation can involve serious injury, strangulation, weapon use, or protected victims.
- Domestic Battery: battery involving a family or household member. Cases often include no-contact orders and fast-moving hearings.
- Robbery and Armed Robbery: taking property by force or threat. Armed robbery involves a dangerous weapon or apparent firearm.
- Burglary, Residential Burglary, and Home Invasion (violent variants): entering a place without authority with intent to commit a felony or theft; becomes especially serious when people are present or harmed.
- Sexual Assault / Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault: sexual acts by force or when a person can’t consent. Aggravation can include a weapon, serious injury, or multiple offenders.
- Kidnapping / Aggravated Kidnapping: secretly confining or carrying a person by force or deception; penalties increase with ransom, injury, or weapon use.
- Arson / Aggravated Arson: damaging property by fire or explosion; aggravated when people are present, injured, or first responders are harmed.
- Homicide (Murder / Manslaughter / Reckless Homicide): charges ranging from intentional killing to deaths caused by recklessness. Each has unique proof requirements and potential defenses.
Every charge has elements the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Your defense starts by forcing the prosecution to meet that burden on every element, not just some of them.
