Crimes and their Classification

Crimes and their Classification – Crimes usually have a number of classifications depending on their severity. The most heinous of all are known as felonies whereas the minor ones are regarded as infractions or sometimes classified as misdemeanors. There is a need to understand the various classifications of each of these crimes as they influence both the procedure and substance of the criminal case.

Felonies

Felonies describe the most serious kind of crimes classified by degrees. The first degree is the most serious one. Examples of felonies in different stats account to:

• Terrorism
• Murder
• aggravated assault
• Kidnapping
• Treason
• Robbery
• Arson etc.

Termed as “true crimes”, the consequences convicted felons face includes:

• Disenfranchisement
• Ban on obtaining licenses such as visa and other professional licenses
• Ineligibility to serve as jury or government assistor
• In case of a foreign citizenship, deportation
• Ineligibility to obtain or possess firearms, body armor or ammunition

Misdemeanors

With punishments less severe than felonies but more serious than an infraction or petty offence, misdemeanors are criminal activities that include penalties up to a year most, probation fines, community service and restitution. The charges are often taken up in a jury trial where the indigent charged with a misdemeanor gets legal representation at government expense.

Infractions

The least serious type of crimes is infractions or petty offenses. These usually involves tickets fined y the police officer if they find you doing something wrong. The charges are dropped immediately once the person pays the fine.

The punishments for infractions usually involve little to no jail time and include violations like traffic tickets, minor drug possession, jaywalking, littering citations running a red light etc.

Accomplices

An accomplice is any person who aids, encourages or assists another in carrying out a crime. The person who commits the crime is known as the principal and the crime which involves an accomplice is called as target crime. This active participation in the commission of crime although leads to less prosecution and charges.

Accomplice‘s participation in the actual crime could be one or more of the following:

• Getaway driver
• Alarm system violation (turning off the alarm system where the crime will or has been conducted)
• Loaning your personal handgun or firearm, knowing the next person intends to commit a crime
• Directing a police vehicle to a dead-end street