According to Illinois law, what distinguishes a felony from a misdemeanor?

The distinction between a felony and a misdemeanor under Illinois law primarily revolves around the severity of the crime and the corresponding penalties. Felonies are characterized by the potential for imprisonment of more than one year, while misdemeanors typically result in lesser penalties, which do not exceed one year of incarceration or may involve alternative punishments such as fines or community service.

This classification emphasizes the seriousness of felonies, which often include significant crimes that can have a profound impact on victims and society. The one-year threshold serves as a legal benchmark to differentiate between these two categories of offenses, guiding law enforcement, judicial proceedings, and sentencing.

The other options present misunderstandings of the definitions. Not all felonies involve theft, nor are all misdemeanors non-theft-related. Additionally, felonies are not always less serious than misdemeanors; in fact, they are considered more serious by virtue of the long-term consequences they carry. Finally, while some felonies may involve violent crimes, it is not accurate to state that all felonies are violent, nor that all misdemeanors are non-violent, as there are numerous non-violent felonies as well.