What does the offense of Harboring a Fugitive require?

The offense of Harboring a Fugitive specifically requires keeping the fugitive's whereabouts secret. This means that an individual who is aware of a fugitive's location and is actively concealing that information from law enforcement is committing this offense. The essence of harboring is the act of providing shelter or assistance to someone who is evading the law, coupled with the knowledge of their fugitive status.

This focus on secrecy is crucial because it involves not just passive behavior, but a deliberate choice to assist someone in evading capture by withholding information from authorities. The law aims to discourage individuals from facilitating the evasion of justice by providing protection to those who have outstanding warrants or criminal charges.

While protecting a person from wrongful arrest, providing support, or being unaware of a person's wanted status may involve actions associated with the overall context of dealing with fugitives, they do not capture the primary legal essence of the harboring offense, which centers on the intentional concealment of a fugitive’s location from law enforcement.