Legal Definitions - escape warrant

An escape warrant is a legal document issued by a judge or magistrate that authorizes law enforcement officers to locate, pursue, and apprehend an individual who has unlawfully departed from legal custody. This includes situations where someone has fled from a correctional facility, escaped while being transported, or violated the terms of their supervised release by absconding.

• Example 1: Prison Break

  A convicted felon, serving a lengthy sentence in a state penitentiary, manages to exploit a security lapse and escape the prison grounds. Upon discovering the inmate's absence, prison authorities would immediately alert local and state law enforcement agencies. A judge would then issue an escape warrant, providing all police officers with the legal authority to actively search for, pursue, and arrest the escaped prisoner anywhere they might be found, bringing them back into custody to face their original sentence and new charges for the escape.

• Example 2: Violation of Home Confinement

  A person awaiting trial for a non-violent offense is released on bail with strict conditions, including electronic home confinement monitored by an ankle bracelet. One morning, the monitoring company reports that the individual's ankle bracelet has been tampered with and the signal lost, indicating they have left their approved residence without authorization. In this scenario, the prosecutor would request an escape warrant. This warrant would empower law enforcement to locate and arrest the individual, bringing them back into custody for violating their court-ordered release conditions and potentially facing additional charges for absconding.

• Example 3: Fleeing During Transport

  A suspect, recently arrested for a serious crime, is being transported by two police officers from the precinct to the county jail for booking. While the transport vehicle is temporarily stopped at a red light, the suspect manages to unlock their restraints, open the door, and flee on foot into a busy urban area. The officers would immediately report the escape. Although they witnessed the event, an escape warrant would be promptly issued by a judge. This warrant provides official legal authorization for all law enforcement agencies to actively search for, pursue, and apprehend the escaped suspect, ensuring they can be taken back into custody to face both the original charges and new charges for the escape itself.