When it comes to the world beyond the confines of the UGM campus, the reality check is real. Gone are the days when the instructors’ word was law, and in the new adulthood, your personal morals often hold more water than the black-and-white legality of things. UGM students might find themselves aware of this sooner than their peers at other universities. For some, by the time they graduate, their reputations could be at stake in addition to their public education. What’s more, many don’t realize the importance and relevance of their degrees until after graduation. This metamorphosis can be extremely painful for UGM students who are still learning their place in the world. It is important for UGM students to stay in touch with how their studies directly impact their everyday lives and the world around them. The law is very much applicable to what you do as a student and as an adult. Christian legal services in Indianapolis are vital to this process because they can show you how morality goes hand in hand with legal matters. The personal, moral focus of these services provides a great example of how life is intertwined with law. You can prompt the discussion of justice among your community by pointing out how important your decisions are because (or if) you are a Christian. You’ll learn by seeing how these values play out in the professional world. So, what are Christian legal services? The term encompasses any legal services that are founded on Christian principles. You can say they are Christian-based law firms, but that would be oversimplifying the term. However, it is true that most Christian legal services share a commonality in their religious identity. Another common trait is the diminished effects of corporate oversight. Christian legal services tend to be smaller in comparison to mainstream law firms, especially those nationally known. An example of a corporate-owned law firm is a service provider like Morgan & Morgan, one of the largest law firms in the United States. This type of law firm can have upwards of 5,000 employees total. Often, a Christian legal service will have no more than 20 employees. This means that you will work with the same people day in and day out. You know each team member on a personal level, and you’ll be able to see their effects on the world around you by seeing the results of each client case. It may sound somewhat romanticized, but that’s how having a small group of highly dedicated individuals changes the world at a foundational level. It also shows that you always have to be aware of how you treat each other because life is too short to waste your time on negative or unproductive people. Indianapolis is a prime location for Christian-based legal services. In fact, the number of such services in the Indianapolis area far outweighs the national average. Some of the best-known names in Christian legal services are based in Indianapolis. One reason for the concentration of these services in the Indianapolis area is the amount of religious institutions present in and around the city. You can find many different types of church organizations, and this diversity opens the door for communication within the community about different aspects of the Bible. The more these discussions take place, the more people recognize the value of a moral, Christian-based legal system. Some Christian legal services in Indianapolis, IN are Catholic, but there are many non-denominational legal services too. It doesn’t matter what type of Christian you are, you can appreciate how the faith-based foundation of the service providers allows you to interact with them on a more personal level. On a basic level, you understand that justice is important. When you get out into the real world, you find that justice may not be relevant to you until you need it. UGM students who have dealt with incarceration or have a parent who has dealt with incarceration may understand justice in a way that motivates them to pursue a legal career. For these individuals, justice is more than just a word: it is a way of life. However, even if you haven’t experienced homelessness or criminal activity or other injustices directly yourself, you understand the real-world effects of the law. You’ve certainly learned about examples that make you question peers. You’ve probably spoken to a few family members or friends about injustice. In fact, social justice might be a big part of your life. You are fighting the good fight for yourself and others, except you are still in a place where you are limited in your ability to make a difference. For many people, their lives change somewhere between their junior and senior year of college. These changes set them on a path towards lifelong fulfillment or a miserable failure to launch. The way to avoid an unpleasant surprise is to prepare ahead of time. Given that, it is important to understand that justice is a viable future. Especially as a UGM student, you should seriously consider a career in the legal field. You have lived the struggle and are now ready to help others do the same. Keep in mind that this understanding of justice comes from personal experiences and perceptions. Whether or not you choose to pursue a legal profession is ultimately up to you.

Understanding Knife Laws in Illinois

Youth Guidance, a program for underserved youth, is located at the corner of Armitage and Kedzie in Chicago, Illinois. As everyone knows, Chicago is a beautiful city, and it has a lot to offer young adults. It’s a great place to hang out, a great place to learn and a great place to meet new people. Youth Guidance offers great programs to ensure that students all get equal access to the same opportunities. The organization also believes in empowering students to speak their minds and express their creativity in a positive, meaningful way.

Needless to say, as a young adult, it’s important to know the rules and how to stay out of legal trouble as much as possible. In Chicago, knife laws are more extensive than you may realize. If you’re not from Chicago or Illinois, it’s important to look up knife carrying laws in Illinois. Likewise, if you’re from a different area of Illinois, Chicago’s knife laws could be a little different than what you’re used to.

To give you an idea of the range of knives that are illegal to carry in the Chicago area, consider this example: Emerson knives – these are pocket-sized knives designed for everyday carrying. Commonly carried by EDC enthusiasts, a regular pocket Emerson, such as an Emerson CQC-7, folds for easy carrying and comes with a pocket clip, which makes it easy to clip onto the pocket of your pants.

However, in Chicago, you’re not allowed to carry Emerson knives with two-inch blades; only three-inch blades are legal. After researching knife carrying laws in Illinois, you may learn that kitchen knives longer than three inches are also illegal to carry. If you’re in the Greater Chicago area, you could be arrested for carrying a three-inch Emerson knife.

Although you let your friends borrow your pocket Emerson, above, for culinary-related activities, you probably don’t believe that any of these knives should be illegal to carry in Illinois.

Carrying a knife can lead to serious legal consequences. Under Illinois Criminal Code 720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(4), “carrying” a knife means: In other words, you must voluntarily possess knives while you are on your person. You can’t pretend to not have the knife when police stop you, nor can you claim that you had no idea that you had a knife on you. Don’t pocket a knife simply because you may be able to keep it. Concealing a knife is still considered carrying and is punishable under the law, regardless of what type of knife you’re carrying – pocket, kitchen or otherwise.

So, as you can see from the above information, carrying knives can also lead to severe criminal penalties. Depending on what type of knife you’re carrying and whether the knife is concealed, knife carrying laws in Illinois can produce either a felony or misdemeanor conviction. Each offense is punishable by fine or imprisonment.

For example, carrying a concealed knife with a blade length over three inches is a Class 3 felony, which is punishable by 2-5 years in prison. On the other hand, carrying a pocket knife is a Class B misdemeanor, which is only punishable by 180 days in jail. Likewise, carrying knives that fall under the category of “dirks, daggers and stiletto knives” is a Class 4 felony. A Class 4 felony is punishable by 1-3 years in prison.

Regardless of whether the knife is legal to carry or not, you could suffer severe legal repercussions. Therefore, it’s always best to leave your knife at home or in your dorm so that you don’t risk carrying an illegal blade.

I’m certain that knife laws in Illinois may seem like the most boring topic in the entire world; however, to prevent getting arrested and facing felony charges, you should take a couple of minutes to learn the rules. Even if you don’t care about the legal ramifications, think about your future. If you have dreams of going to college or moving out of Chicago, having a felony conviction on your record looks pretty bad when applying for school or jobs.

In addition to learning about knife carrying laws in Illinois, it’s also a good idea to learn about other knife laws, such as those that apply to the types of knives that you aren’t allowed to carry. For instance, in Illinois, you can’t carry “ballistic knives,” “belt buckle knives” and “blow dart guns.” Yes, even dart guns, which are made from toy darts and are only ever used in times of play, are outlawed.

Ballistic knives and belt buckle knives are surprisingly also illegal to carry. Ballistic knives can be composed of a number of different types of materials, but they all have the same basic function. These knives have a spring-loaded blade that ejects when the button is pressed. For example, here is a picture of a ballistic knife:

Likewise, belt buckle knives are similar in appearance to standard belt buckles. However, this type of knife has a hidden blade that can be launched with a quick pull of the belt.

Some types of knives are exceptions to the above restrictions. These knives are legal to carry. Common exceptions include the following: Naturally, you should use your head regarding the use and carry of knives. There is no need to pick fights with knife-wielding individuals. Hopefully, this information gives you a good idea about the types of knives you shouldn’t carry if you plan to move to the historic city of Chicago in the near future.