CHAPTER 720, ILCS 5/ - CRIMINAL CODE DIVISION I

720 ILCS 5/12-6.4

Sec. 12-6.4. Criminal street gang recruitment on school grounds or public property adjacent to school grounds and criminal street gang recruitment of a minor.

Illinois Compiled Statute
720 ILCS 5/12-6.4
Offense Description
Criminal street gang recruitment
Offense Classification
Class 3 Felony
Statutory Penalties & Sentencing Scope
2 to 5 years IDOC (Probation eligible) · Fine up to $25,000
Supreme Court Rule 551 Mandatory Court Appearance
Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 551, personal court appearance before a judge is mandatory. The defendant cannot satisfy this charge by mail, electronic payment, or pre-set bail forfeiture.
SAFE-T Act Pretrial Detention Eligibility (725 ILCS 5/110-6.1)
Presumptive Pretrial Release: This offense is non-detainable under 725 ILCS 5/110-6.1. The defendant is entitled to release on personal recognizance with non-monetary conditions unless charged with a subsequent detainable violation.
Secretary of State Driver's License Action
Standard Administrative Protocol: No automatic driver's license suspension or mandatory revocation is triggered by this offense code alone upon citation.
EXECUTIVE SYNOPSIS · ILLINOIS LEGAL STANDARDS Governing Authority: ILGA & Supreme Court Rules

Under Illinois law, 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 (Criminal street gang recruitment) is classified as a Class 3 Felony. Statutory sentencing scope: 2 to 5 years IDOC (Probation eligible) · Fine up to $25,000. Court appearance is mandatory under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 551, and pretrial release is presumptively release-eligible under the SAFE-T Act.

Offense Class & Sentencing Scope Class 3 Felony

2 to 5 years IDOC (Probation eligible) · Fine up to $25,000

Court Appearance Mandate Rule 551 Mandatory Court

Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 551, personal court appearance before a judge is mandatory. The defendant cannot satisfy this charge by mail, electronic payment, or pre-set bail forfeiture.

Pretrial Fairness Act (SAFE-T Act) Presumptive Pretrial Release

Presumptive Pretrial Release: This offense is non-detainable under 725 ILCS 5/110-6.1. The defendant is entitled to release on personal recognizance with non-monetary conditions unless charged with a subsequent detainable violation.

Secretary of State License Sanction Standard Administrative Protocol

No automatic driver's license suspension or mandatory revocation is triggered by this offense code alone upon citation.

Classification Class 3 Felony
Court Appearance Mandatory Court Appearance (Rule 551)
SAFE-T Act Detention Release Eligible (Conditions Apply)
SOS Reporting Code None Assigned

Associated Offense Codes & Classifications (1)

Offense Description Class Court Mandate SAFE-T Act Reporting Code Official ILGA
Criminal street gang recruitment Official ILGA · 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 -> Class 3 Felony Rule 551 Mandate Release Eligible — ILGA.gov ->

Illinois General Assembly Statutory Text (Verbatim)

Source: ilga.gov ->

Sec. 12-6.4. Criminal street gang recruitment on school grounds or public property adjacent to school grounds and criminal street gang recruitment of a minor.

(a)

(a) A person commits criminal street gang recruitment on school grounds or public property adjacent to school grounds when on school grounds or public property adjacent to school grounds, he or she knowingly threatens the use of physical force to coerce, solicit, recruit, or induce another person to join or remain a member of a criminal street gang, or conspires to do so.

(a-5) A person commits the offense of criminal street gang recruitment of a minor when he or she threatens the use of physical force to coerce, solicit, recruit, or induce another person to join or remain a member of a criminal street gang, or conspires to do so, whether or not such threat is communicated in person, by means of the Internet, or by means of a telecommunications device.

(b)

(b) Sentence. Criminal street gang recruitment on school grounds or public property adjacent to school grounds is a Class 1 felony and criminal street gang recruitment of a minor is a Class 1 felony.

(c)

(c) In this Section:

"School grounds" means the building or buildings or real property comprising a public or private elementary or secondary school, community college, college, or university and includes a school yard, school playing field, or school playground. "Minor" means any person under 18 years of age.

"Internet" means an interactive computer service or system or an information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, and includes, but is not limited to, an information service, system, or access software provider that provides access to a network system commonly known as the Internet, or any comparable system or service and also includes, but is not limited to, a World Wide Web page, newsgroup, message board, mailing list, or chat area on any interactive computer service or system or other online service. "Telecommunications device" means a device that is capable of receiving or transmitting speech, data, signals, text, images, sounds, codes, or other information including, but not limited to, paging devices, telephones, and cellular and mobile telephones. (Source: P.A. 96-199, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

Frequently Asked Questions & Legal Analysis

Authoritative Statutory Guidance
What is the statutory penalty and sentencing range for 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 in Illinois?

Under Illinois law, 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 (Criminal street gang recruitment) is classified as a Class 3 Felony.

Sentencing Scope: 2 to 5 years IDOC (Probation eligible) · Fine up to $25,000

Is a court appearance mandatory for 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 551?

Mandatory Personal Appearance Required: Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 551, personal court appearance before a judge is mandatory. The defendant cannot satisfy this charge by mail, electronic payment, or pre-set bail forfeiture.

Is an individual accused of 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 detainable before trial under the SAFE-T Act?

Presumptive Pretrial Release: Presumptive Pretrial Release: This offense is non-detainable under 725 ILCS 5/110-6.1. The defendant is entitled to release on personal recognizance with non-monetary conditions unless charged with a subsequent detainable violation.

What Secretary of State driver's license sanctions apply to 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4?

Standard Administrative Protocol: No automatic driver's license suspension or mandatory revocation is triggered by this offense code alone upon citation.

Official Legal Citation Formats

Legal & Academic Reference

Standardized legal citations for briefs, court pleadings, law enforcement documentation, and academic research.

Illinois Supreme Court Citation 720 ILCS 5/12-6.4 (West 2026)
The Bluebook Style (21st ed.) 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/12-6.4 (2026)
Canonical Web Reference https://ilcsindex.com/statutes/720-ilcs-5-12-6.4
Cross-Referenced ILCS Codes