The provisions of this Code shall be construed in accordance with the general purposes hereof, to:
     (a) Forbid and prevent the commission of offenses;

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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/1-2

  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.36
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

     (b) Define adequately the act and mental state which constitute each offense, and limit the condemnation of conduct as criminal when it is without fault;
     (c) Prescribe penalties which are proportionate to the seriousness of offenses and which permit recognition of differences in rehabilitation possibilities among individual offenders;
     (d) Prevent arbitrary or oppressive treatment of persons accused or convicted of offenses.