Criminal justice degree (Part: 1)

Crime

 

A criminal offense committed in violation of the criminal laws of a state, the federal government, or a local jurisdiction in which the guilty party may be punished; the word originated from the Latin crimen; criminal offenses are often categorized into three broad categories: street crime, white collar crime and victimless crimes

Street Crime: A class of offenses; sometimes formally defined as those that occur in public locations, are visible and assaultive, and thus constitute a special risk to the public and a special target for law enforcement preventative efforts and prosecutorial attention

Example: Aggravated Assault

1. Aggravated Assault: Unlawful, intentional causing of serious bodily injury, with or without use of a deadly weapon.

White Collar Crime: Crimes that are oftennonviolent, yet committed for financial gain by means of deception by persons whose occupational status is entrepreneurial, professional or semiprofessional, and who use their special occupational skills and opportunities
Example: Embezzlement

1. Embezzlement: The misappropriation, misapplication or illegal disposal of legally entrusted property by the person(s) to whom it was entrusted, with the intent to defraud the legal owner or intended beneficiary

 Victimless Crime: Illegal acts that are often perceivedto cause no specific harm, especially since it is often negated by the informed and legal consent of the participants of the crime; the harm may take several forms.

•    Harm to the person
•    Harm to the property
•    Psychological harm
•    Social harm
•    Harm to an individual’s freedom

 Example: Prostitution

Prostitution: Offering or agreeing to engage in, or engaging in, a sex act with another in return for a fee.