Crimes vs. Noncriminal Wrongs
What is a crime?
An act that violates the law and is considered a wrong against society.
Crime punishable by more than one year?
Felony.
Crime data reported by police departments.
Uniform Crime Reports (UCR).
Definition of a victim:
A person who suffers harm as a result of a crime.
Malum in se:
Crimes that are inherently evil.
What is a tort?
A civil wrong committed against an individual.
Crime punishable by less than one year?
Misdemeanor.
A survey that asks people if they were a victim
National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).
Primary victim vs. secondary victim:
Primary is directly harmed; secondary is indirectly affected.
Malum prohibitum:
Acts that are illegal because the law says so.
Who is the victim in a criminal case?
Society (the state).
Give an example of a felony.
Murder, robbery, rape, burglary
Which includes unreported crime?
NCVS.
Victimization rate:
The number of victimizations per population
Ex post facto law:
A law that punishes an act after it was committed.
Who prosecutes a criminal case?
The government or state prosecutor
Give examples of a misdemeanor.
Simple assault, petty theft, disorderly conduct.
Which is run by the FBI?
UCR.
Why some crimes go unreported:
Fear, shame, or lack of trust in police.
Burden of proof:
The responsibility to prove guilt.
What is the standard of proof in criminal court?
Beyond a reasonable doubt.
What is the difference in punishment severity?
Felonies carry harsher penalties than misdemeanors.
One limitation of the UCR.
Only includes crimes reported to police.
Role of victim impact statements:
To explain how the crime affected the victim.
Elements of a crime:
Act, intent, concurrence, causation, and harm.