A Long Grove, Illinois man was arrested recently for throwing a brick through the front door of his neighbor’s home. The man also allegedly entered the home and threatened his neighbor’s wife, then damaged property in the couple’s yard. He allegedly caused the damage because the two victims were Muslim, and said that, "That's what Trump would do,” according to Patch.com. Being charged with criminal property damage can carry a heavy penalty if you are found guilty. In this case, other penalties may apply, such as assault, unlawful entry, and the offense being upgraded to a hate crime. But what constitutes as criminal damage to property?

Proving Intent

In order for the prosecution to successfully charge and sentence a person for criminal damage to property, they must be able to show that the defendant had intent. The defendant must have intentionally caused damage to another’s property, according to Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/21-1. Or, the damage must have been caused by:

Recently, a former Algonquin, Illinois resident pled not guilty to a number of crimes, including murder and the concealment of a homicide, according to the Chicago Tribune. The trial is ongoing at this time of this writing. While murder is the most serious type of crime, and first-degree murder is the most severely punishable type of murder charge, concealment of a homicide is a very serious offense in and of itself. However, there is a difference between concealment of a homicide and concealment of a death.

Concealment of Death

The difference between concealment of death and concealment of a homicide is that concealment of death involves a death that did not occur by means of murder. According to Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/9-3.5, concealment of death occurs when a person knowingly conceals the death of any other person who died by other than homicidal means.” Concealment of death is defined as more than simply withholding information. By concealing a death, the defendant is charged with allegedly performing an act to either prevent or delay the discovery of that death. Concealment of death is a class 4 felony, punishable by one to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Concealment of death occurs when a person:

While the most common crimes discussed in the media are violent crimes such as rape, murder, and robbery, most crimes in Illinois are so-called property crimes. Property damage crimes are a specific type of property crime where someone knowingly or recklessly damages the property of someone else. These crimes often have serious consequences.

What Is Property under the Law?

When most people hear the word property they think of land, houses, and real estate. But, under Illinois law, property is anything that someone can own. This includes pets, cars, furniture in your house, and just about anything else in your home or place of business.

Felony convictions have far-reaching consequences beyond incarceration, fines, or probation. One major problem is the effect that a conviction can have on employment opportunities. A new bill going through the Illinois legislature may ameliorate that problem for convicted felons. The bill would remove a lifetime ban on employment in schools for some people convicted of nonviolent felonies.

The Bill

House Bill 494 is being sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago. The bill would mean that school districts could not automatically bar employment for a nonviolent felony conviction that was over seven years old at the time of the application for employment. For nonviolent felonies less than seven years old, the state would not bar employment at schools. The bill would instead provide for local control of the issue, and school districts would be able to make their own rules for hiring. The seven-year waiting period would begin at the end of the sentence, whether involving jail time or probation.

The legal drinking age is 21 years old across the United States. However, there are some who take the law as a recommendation or suggestion, and drink alcohol before their 21st birthday. It may be because young adults are not always the best decision makers, and drinking may be a way to fit in with friends or to experiment.

In some cases, it is an adult that provides the alcohol to the underage drinker, or an adult may simply be present when it is consumed. When this happens, the adult can be charged criminally, and can be sued in civil court.

Who is Responsible?