Criminal Law

crime is a violation of local, state, or federal law. Criminal offenses can range from shoplifting to murder. Sentences can range from community service all the way to the death penalty. Although there are many different criminal acts, too many to list in one blog, they can be divided into six main categories. Understanding the types of criminal offenses can help a person gain insight into what sets them apart and why they are penalized so differently.

1. Crimes Against a Person

The following is a partial list of crimes against a person:

Assault and battery, Robbery, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Manslaughter, Murder

2. Crimes Against Property

Typically considered a less serious category of criminal offense, crimes against property do not involve harming another person. They instead involve defacing, destroying, or stealing property.

The following is a partial list of crimes against property:

Shoplifting, Theft (larceny), Grand theft, Auto theft, Arson, Destruction of property

3. Crimes Against Morality

Sometimes called victimless crimes, crimes against morality are offenses that are not committed against a person or property. Instead, they are committed against accepted social and moral values. They are against the law and are therefore punishable by fines, imprisonment, or other terms as determined by statute.

The following is a partial list of crimes against morality:

Prostitution, Bigamy, Illegal gambling, Illegal drug use, Indecent exposure

4. Statutory Crimes

Technically speaking, statutory crimes involve all criminal offenses because they are all forbidden by statute. In this sense, however, we refer to statutory crimes as those acts that are prohibited for the protection and/or betterment of society. Drug crimes, alcohol-related crimes, and traffic offenses all fall under this category. Crimes against morality may also be considered statutory crimes.

The following is a partial list of statutory crimes:

Driving under the influence (DUI), Boating under the influence (BUI), Drug possession, sale, or distribution, Drug cultivation or manufacturing, Public intoxication, Selling alcohol to a minor, Refusing a breath/blood test, Driving without a license, Reckless driving, Hit and run

5. Financial/White Collar Crimes

White collar crimes are often financial in nature and occur in the business world. They are nonviolent but are not necessarily victimless, as they can cause people and businesses to suffer significant financial losses.

The following is a partial list of white collar crimes:

Embezzlement, Forgery, Insider trading, Securities fraud, Investment fraud, Tax evasion, Mortgage fraud, Identity theft, Money laundering, Public corruption, Corporate fraud, Bank fraud, Election law violations, Healthcare fraud

6. Inchoate Crimes

The thought of being arrested and punished for a crime you didn’t actually commit may seem like something out of a movie like Minority Report, but this brings us to our last category of criminal offenses: inchoate crimes. These include crimes that were initiated but not completed, and acts undertaken in the commission of another crime. Inchoate crimes go further than mere intent. If a person intends to commit a crime and then takes a step toward completing it, they can still be charged. An example may be conspiring to commit a crime.

The following is a partial list of inchoate crimes:

Aiding and abetting, Conspiracy, Attempt, Solicitation