Learn about the different types of crimes and criminals. Also, understand the most common types of crimes, the history of crime, and views on crime and criminals.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Crime | Definition, Types & Categories
Table of Contents
- What is Crime?
- History
- Views on Crime
- Categories of Crime
- Types of Criminals
- Types of Crimes
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ten most common crimes?
The top ten most common crimes committed in the United States are theft, burglary, auto theft, aggravated assault, robbery, basic assault, indecent exposure, trespassing, petty theft, public intoxication
What is the legal definition of crime?
A crime is an illegal act that is punishable by the government; an offense that merits community condemnation and punishment, usually by way of fine or imprisonment
Table of Contents
- What is Crime?
- History
- Views on Crime
- Categories of Crime
- Types of Criminals
- Types of Crimes
- Lesson Summary
What is Crime? Crime is a term that encompasses illegal acts in which someone can be punished by the government. An example of a crime is robbery. Robbery is when someone takes items from another person by force. Since this act is unlawful, it is considered a crime with a subsequent legal punishment. There are different categories of crime which determine the severity of punishment.
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The idea of crime being punishable dates to Hammurabi's code, a Babylonian set of laws created during the rule of King Hammurabi from approximately 1792-1750 B.C.E. Hammurabi's code is the earliest known set of laws, consisting of 282 laws, for the public to follow. This set of laws had very specific instructions on what the punishment was for each law if broken and was based on the idea of eye for an eye. Hammurabi's code was known to be very extreme within punishment. However, as noted above, today there are different categories of crime that dictate the severity of punishment.
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There are three views on crime: consensus, conflict, and interactionist. The consensus theory on crime is that everyone should have a relatively similar concept of what is considered, as far as social behavior, to be right or wrong. With this viewpoint, it is suggested that if a person commits a crime, it is a result of being raised with flawed values. The conflict theory on crime is that people are treated differently within different class statuses. With this viewpoint, it is suggested that a person commits a crime based on being subjected to social, political, or economic inequalities. The interactionist theory on crime is that the determination as to whether an act is considered a crime is relative to a given community. With this viewpoint, it is suggested that a deviant act may or may not be considered a crime depending on what the socially acceptable norms within their social community are. The views on crime and criminals have steadily changed over time to focusing on proactive methods to address the symptoms of what creates a criminal rather than on reactively handing down direct and harsh punishment.
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There are three categories of crime: felony, misdemeanor, and violation. A felony is the most serious of crimes, usually resulting in long periods of prison time and heavy fines. A misdemeanor is a less serious crime that usually results in a short period of time in jail and/or small fines. A violation is the least serious offenses of breaking the law. Violations are usually given through warnings, tickets, or small fines.
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Felony
Felonies are the most serious crimes, and they hold very heavy punishments of large fines, several years in prison, or permanent loss of freedoms. Some examples of felonies and subsequent punishments are as follows:
- Capital Murder- life in prison, or execution
- Aggravated robbery- minimum of five years in prison, up to $10,000 in fines
- Arson- two to twenty years in prison, up to $10,000 in fines
- Burglary- up to two years in jail and $10,000 in fines
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanors are less serious crimes than felonies and usually result in short jail time or small fines. Some examples of misdemeanor crimes and subsequent punishments are as follows:
- Simple assault- six to twelve months in jail and up to $1,000 in fines
- Shoplifting- up one hundred and eighty days in jail, and up to $2,000 in fines
- Trespassing- up to 60 days in jail and $1000 in fines
- Writing bad checks- up to two years in jail and $10,000 in fines
Violation
Violations, also known as infractions, are defined as any act that is failing to abide by existing laws. Violations are very minor offenses and do not have as severe penalties as a felony or misdemeanor. Some usual examples of violations of the law are as follows:
- Copyright infringement- a fine equal to damages, anywhere from $200 up to $150,000
- Speeding- a speeding ticket fine of up to $250
- Littering- a ticket and fine of between $500-$1000
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There are different types of crime often divided into two categories. These two categories of crime are commonly referred to as blue-collar and white-collar. Different types of criminals commit different types of crimes. When a person commits a crime, depending on which type of crime they committed, they are labeled as a blue-collar criminal or a white-collar criminal.
Blue-Collar Criminals
Blue-collar criminal refers to a criminal that commits crimes commonly thought to be offenses committed by lower social classes. The term blue-collar refers to the working class. In the past, labor workers used to commonly wear a work shirt or uniform with a blue collar, and it was assumed that the more brazen or violent crimes were committed by this social class.
Blue-Collar Crimes
The types of crimes that are considered to be blue-collar crimes are more obvious and usually more violent in nature. Some examples of this category of crime are:
- Rape
- Robbery
- Murder
White-Collar Criminals
White-collar criminals usually have a professional career in the business or medical field and commit offenses that are more professional rather than violent. The term white-collar refers to people in professional careers because, in the past, these professionals commonly wore white work shirts with white collars. White-collar criminals are usually in a higher class and their crimes are more technical or sophisticated.
White-Collar Crimes
White-collar crimes tend to be less violent and deal more with unlawful business transactions. Some examples of this category of crime are:
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Another way to categorize types of crime is to differentiate them between a personal crime and a property crime. A property crime is a non-violent crime committed against a person causing some sort of property damage. A personal crime is an act of violence against another person and, as a result, the victim is damaged either physically or emotionally.
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Personal Crime
Some examples of types of crime that would fall under the personal crime category are:
- Murder
- Assault
- Kidnapping
Property Crime
Some examples of types of crime that would fall under the property crime category are:
- Arson
- Burglary
- Vandalism
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What is Crime? Crime is a term that encompasses illegal acts in which someone can be punished by the government. The earliest known set of laws, Hammurabi's code, was created by King Hammurabi of Ancient Babylonia. There are three views on crime: consensus, conflict, and interactionist. The consensus view is the most common theory and claims that crime is harmful behaviors that affect the majority of society. There are also three major types of crimes depending on the severity of the action. A felony is the most serious offense and can result in long prison sentences and heavy fines. A felony may include such crimes as burglary and murder. A misdemeanor is less severe and may result in small jail sentences and/or low fines. These may include such crimes as simple assault and writing bad checks. The least severe offense is a violation. Violations are the least severe and usually result in small fines or tickets. These crimes can fall under two categories: personal crime or property crime. Property crime is offenses committed against someone else's property and do not involve violence. For example, larceny is a property crime because it is the theft of someone else's property. A personal crime is an offense against a person that harms another person physically or mentally.
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Video Transcript
Definitions and Types of Crime
It seems like no matter what day it is, there is always a news story bombarding you with some sort of crime. From a terrorist act in another country to a robbery in your neck of the woods, there is always some type of crime happening somewhere in the world. These days, crime is something that you just cannot escape.
Crime is a hot topic, but did you ever stop for a minute and ask yourself what is crime? Well, let's look at this question and examine the concept of crime. Crime consists of conduct that is in violation of federal, state or local laws. When a law is broken, there is a penalty imposed. The penalty can include a loss of one's freedom or even one's life. Without a law to indicate the particular prohibited behavior, there can be no crime. Therefore, even if an individual's behavior is so horrible that it is shocking, it will still not be considered criminal if there is no law making it a crime.
Let's take a look deeper into what crime is and how it is defined through looking at some famous cases involving celebrities.
Categories of Crime
There are three categories of crime:
- Felonies
- Misdemeanors
- Violations (also known as infractions)
Felonies are the most serious of crimes that one can commit. Felonies are punishable by one year or more imprisonment. In fact, there are some states which impose the death penalty for certain types of felony crimes. Felony crime includes personal crimes, such as murder, robbery, and rape. Other types are crimes against property, including burglary or larceny.
One well-known celebrity case that involved a felony charge was the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Celebrity O.J. Simpson, the former husband of Nicole Brown Simpson, was charged with the murders of the two victims. After a lengthy public trial, O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of the felony murder charges.
Misdemeanors are less serious crimes. These crimes are punishable by less than one year imprisonment. Examples of misdemeanors include assault, battery or writing bad checks. For instance, in 2011, actress Lindsay Lohan pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge for stealing a $2,500 necklace.
Finally, violations are less serious than misdemeanors and include traffic violations or violations of town or city ordinances. An example of a violation can be something as simple as riding a bicycle down the wrong side of the road in New York City. This is an example of a violation of a New York City ordinance.
Types of Crime
There are many different types of crime. One category of crime is crimes against individuals, often called personal crimes. The harm that is sustained due to a personal crime is always against a person. This category of crime includes:
- Murder
- Rape
- Robbery
- Aggravated assault
- Kidnapping
One celebrity crime that constitutes a personal crime was the 1980 murder of John Lennon. Lennon was shot four times in the back of his head by his assailant, and he died. Lennon's murder was a personal crime because the harm was aimed against Lennon as an individual, as opposed to his property.
Another category of crime is property crimes, which are not directed specifically at individual people but aimed at property. With property crime, the property may be destroyed or the property may be defaced. Usually, people are not injured, but it is possible that individuals may be harmed, such as in arson. Crimes against property include:
- Burglary
- Larceny-theft
- Motor vehicle theft
- Arson
An example of a celebrity property crime is the burglary of Paris Hilton's Malibu home. In 2013, Hilton's home was burglarized for the seventh time. Burglars got away with clothing, purses and pictures. This is an example of property crime because the harm was not against Paris Hilton as a person but solely against her property.
Views on Crime
There are three views on crime. The first of these views is known as the consensus view of crime. Under the consensus view of crime, crimes consist of behaviors that harm the majority of people in society. As a result, criminal law has been established to control these harmful behaviors. The consensus view further supports the belief that the criminal law represents the values and norms of the majority of society. In other words, criminal law, and the actions the law defines as criminal, illustrates the consensus of public opinion.
The second view on crime is known as the conflict view of crime. Under the conflict view of crime, the law is established and controlled by the rich and powerful. This group utilizes the law to control those of lower socio-economic status and income. According to this view, the law helps the rich and powerful to maintain their place in the world, preserve their economic position and control the actions of those who may disagree with their ideas and values.
The third and final view on crime is referred to as the interactionist view of crime. According to the interactionist view of crime, crimes are illegal simply because they conflict with social norms. Moreover, the law is designed in accordance with the preferences and values of socially and politically active individuals. Therefore, the definitions of crimes are created by those who are in power. As a result, under the interactionist view of crime, something that's a crime today could be perfectly legal tomorrow if those in power have a change of attitude.
Lesson Summary
Let's review what we learned from this lesson.
First, crime consists of conduct which is in violation of federal, state or local laws for which there is a penalty. In addition, there are three types of crimes: felonies, misdemeanors and violations. Each one carries a different penalty depending upon the nature and circumstances of the crime.
There are various categories of crime, including crimes against individuals and crimes against property.
There are three types of views on crime: the consensus view, the conflict view and the interactionist view. Each view takes has its own perspective on what crime is and how the law relates to crime.
Learning Outcomes
After this lesson is finished, you should be able to:
- Define crime
- List the three categories of crime and describe their punishments
- State some different types of crimes
- Identify and describe the three views on crime
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I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.
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Crime | Definition, Types & Categories
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