Although certain acts are criminalized by federal law, and so are tried in federal court, most criminal charges are handled by judges who preside over state courts. Because each state has a different understanding of what constitutes an offense, it is extremely important for defendants who have been charged with a crime in Indiana to have a thorough understanding of the state’s criminal code. This can be a daunting task for those who are not being advised by an attorney, so if you are being investigated for, or have already been charged with committing a crime in Indiana, you should strongly consider retaining an experienced criminal defense attorney near you who could be able to get your charges reduced or even dismissed.
Indiana’s criminal code prohibits a wide range of illegal activity and conduct. However, most charges are based on allegations of the following offenses:
All of these crimes, with the exception of some traffic infractions, qualify as either misdemeanors or felonies.
In Indiana, misdemeanor crimes are divided into three categories:
Crimes that involve serious financial or physical injury, such as assault and rape, are usually charged as felonies. Felony crimes are punishable by longer prison sentences and hefty fines and fall under one of six categories, with Level 1 felonies representing the most serious offenses and Level 6 felonies, the least serious felony crimes. Aside from jail time and fines, defendants who are convicted of felony offenses could be ordered to serve a term of probation, home detention, or work release, to perform community service, to attend alcohol or drug counseling, or to have their driver’s license suspended. The severity of a person’s sentence will depend in large part on the seriousness of the crime, the individual’s criminal record, and whether he or she expresses remorse.