Levels of Crime
A more serious crime
EX: Murder, kidnapping, armed robbery
Felony
Crimes that occur in public view
Visible Crimes
Planned, ongoing systems of illegal activities managed by groups for power and money
Organized crimes
Rare, high profile cases that get media attention, often involving famous people or shocking crimes
Celebrated Cases
The physical act of committing a crime (guilty act)
Actus reus
A less serious crime that is punishable by less than one year in jail
EX: Shoplifting, vandalism, disorderly conduct
Misdemeanor
Acts that cause physical injury or death
EX: homicide, rape, assault, robbery
Violent crimes
Illegal acts that involve consensual behavior or actions that cause no direct harm to others
EX: Recreational drug use, illegal gambling
Violent crimes done by people with long criminal records against strangers. The system treats these with strict penalties and thorough prosecution.
Serious felonies
The mindset of someone when committing a crime (guilty mind)
Mens rea
A very minor violation of the law
EX: Jaywalking, littering, minor traffic infractions
Petty offense
Acts involving theft or damage of possessions
EX: Larceny, shoplifting, burglary, arson
Property Crimes
Illegal acts that target the security, stability, or survival of the government
EX: treason, espionage, sedition
Political Crimes
Non-violent offenses like property theft, drug possession, etc. The offenders have no prior record and don't know the victim, usually ends in a plea bargain.
Lesser felonies
Legal party responsible for presenting the case against the defendant in a criminal trial
Prosecutor
An act that is only illegal because the person that did it was a minor
EX: truancy, running away, underage drinking
Status offense
Behavior that disrupts public peace and social norms
Public order crimes
Illegal acts that use a computer, network or digital device
EX: phishing, ransomware attacks, identity theft
Cybercrimes
Minor offenses like petty theft, public drunkenness, and vandalism. Courts process quickly, usually without media attention or heavy jail time.
Person being accused or sued in a court case (criminal or civil)
Defendant
TYPES OF MENS REA:
The person is not aware of the risk, but a reasonable person would have been aware of it.
Negligently
Acts that are committed through the opportunity provided by someone's job
Occupational crimes
TYPES OF MENS REA:
The person consciously ignored a substantial and unjustifiable risk that their actions will cause harm
Recklessly
TYPE OF MENS REA:
The person is practically certain that their conduct will cause a specific result or is not allowed, even if it wasn't their primary goal
Knowingly
The injured party who brings legal action against the alleged wrongdoer
Plaintiff