International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA) Criminal Law Practice Exam 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

The assertion that self-defense can be used if someone is escaping a crime is false because self-defense is typically understood as a legal justification for the use of force to prevent imminent harm to oneself or others. The primary purpose of self-defense is to protect against an immediate threat of unlawful force.

When a person is escaping a crime, the immediate threat they pose has already passed, meaning there is no longer a need for self-defense. Legal principles surrounding self-defense require that the threat is imminent and that the response is proportional.

In cases where an individual escapes from pursuing law enforcement or is fleeing after committing a crime, any force exercised against them would generally not be justified under the self-defense standard. The actions of an individual who is escaping do not constitute an immediate threat that warrants a defense of self-defense.

Therefore, self-defense does not apply once the threat is no longer present, making the claim that self-defense can be invoked under these circumstances incorrect.