Crime, also known as criminal activities, happens every day in the United States. Illegal activities can include various unlawful behavior, from petty crimes like shoplifting to serious offenses like murder. Whatever the crime, criminals generally do whatever they can to avoid getting caught. This includes hiding their activities, lying to cover their tracks, and even bribing or intimidating witnesses.
However, despite criminals doing these things, they are still often caught an hour or a couple of hours after the incident. More than a million people are arrested every year, showing how robust law enforcement is here. But you might still wonder, what if you want to escape the law? This might be something out of your fictional thoughts, and that’s okay! Many people might have watched too many crime shows, and these shows make it easy. But in reality, it’s near impossible to escape the law.
The Consequences of Escaping the Law
Let’s first talk about the consequences of escaping the law. If the authorities catch you, you can face more charges. The severity of the new charges will depend on the original crime, but they will be more severe than the original ones.
For example, if a shop owner catches you shoplifting, you would probably get a fine or maybe a short jail sentence. But if you escape and are caught again, you could be facing felony charges, which would mean years in prison.
In addition to new charges, you will also have a warrant out for your arrest. Even if you leave the country, you can still be arrested and extradited to the United States to face trial. So even if you think you can hide from the law by going to another country, think again. The law will always catch up to you eventually.
There are also a few other things to keep in mind if you’re thinking of escaping the law. First, it’s important to remember that even if you’re not caught right away, the limitations still apply. The statute of limitations implies a time limit for when charges can be filed against you. This time limit is five years for most crimes, but it can be longer for more severe offenses.
So how do you go about escaping the law?
Escaping the Law
Although it’s highly discouraged to do such a thing, people still fantasize about escaping the law. So how do you go about it? Not as bombastic as the shows, that’s for sure.
Escaping the law requires a lot of careful planning and execution. You need to have a solid plan in place, and you can’t make any mistakes.
The first step is to research the laws in your state or country. This might seem like an obvious step, but knowing what you’re up against is important. Each state or country has different laws, and you need to be aware of them before you can start making your escape plan. If you’re already a felony, this step might be minimal.
Next, you need to acquire false identification documents. This can be anything from a fake ID to a fake passport. It’s essential to have these documents because they will help you avoid getting caught by the authorities. But remember that falsification of papers is also illegal, and because of robust cross-identifying software nationwide, you got a good chance of being caught.
You also need to have a safe place to stay where the authorities can’t find you. This could be a hotel room, a friend’s house, or even a safe house that you’ve set up yourself. Of course, a safe house is your best bet, but it must be somewhere remote.
Finally, you need to have enough money to support yourself while on the run. This means having enough money to pay for food, shelter, and anything else you might need. It’s important to have this because you don’t want to get caught while you’re trying to earn money illegally.
The Alternatives
Once you’ve made your escape, it means laying low for as long as possible. As stated earlier, the statute of limitations requires five years at most, but that can depend on the severity of your crime. Since it’s nearly impossible to escape the law, we suggest you go for the alternatives.
Going on Bail
Going on bail is one of the best alternatives to escaping the law because you’re doing it legally. When you go on bail, you’re paying a sum of money to the court to be released from jail while you await your trial.
The amount of money you have to pay will depend on the crime you’re accused of, but it’s usually a few thousand dollars. You can pay the bail bond yourself or buy a bail bondsman. A bail bondsman is someone who pays the bail for you and then charges you a fee, usually 10% of the total bail amount. So if your bail is $10,000, the bail bondsman will charge you $1,000.
The good thing about going on bail is that you don’t have to worry about escape because you’re already out of jail. And if you go to your trial and are found innocent, you’ll get your bail money back.
Plea Bargaining
Another alternative to escaping the law is plea bargaining. This is when you plead guilty to a lesser crime to avoid trial for a more severe offense.
For example, let’s say you’re accused of first-degree murder. If you go to trial, you could be facing life in prison or even the death penalty. But if you plead guilty to second-degree murder, you could be looking at a sentence of 15 years instead.
Plea bargaining is a good option if you’re trying to avoid going to trial because it can help you get a lighter sentence. But plea bargaining is only an option if the prosecutor is willing to offer it to you.
The best way to avoid going to trial is to have a good lawyer who can negotiate a plea bargain for you. If you can’t afford a lawyer, you can try to get a public defender.
By the end of the day, escaping the law without any help is more trouble than it seems. So don’t do it, and instead, keep the thought as a fantasy in your head. If you get into trouble, consider the alternatives above. They’re much safer and won’t add years into your sentence.
