If you can be a criminal before you are convicted, aren't you de factor guilty until proven innocent? I'd say that "being a criminal" doesn't have a lot of mean

If you can be a criminal before you are convicted, aren't you de factor guilty until proven innocent? I'd say that "being a criminal" doesn't have a lot of meaning if it isn't meant as in the eyes of the law and hence you should be innocent until proven guilty.. or do I misunderstand?