CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES

When does crime exist?

In the legal viewpoint crime subsists when the person has been proven guilty by the
court. The main objective to this view is the presumption of innocence as provided by our 1987 Constitution,
that only after trial and the proof beyond reasonable doubt established by the prosecution that the accused
has committed it, can very assume that the person is a criminal.
In the scientific point of view, crime exist when it is reported. This is more realistic but not all reported
cases are with sound basis of true happening. Some of them are also unfounded.
Criminological Classification of Crime

a) Acquisitive and Extinctive Crimes

Acquisitive crime is one which when committed, the offender acquires something as a
consequence of his criminal act. The crime is extinctive when the result of criminal act is
destruction

b) Seasonal and Situational Crimes

Seasonal crimes are those that are only at a certain period of the year while situational crimes are
committed only when given a situation conducive to its commission.
c) Episodic and Instant crimes
Episodic crimes are serial crimes, they are committed by means of series of act within a lengthy
space of time. Instant crimes are those that are committed the shortest possible time.
d) Static and Continuing Crime
Static crimes are crimes that are committed in one place. Continuing crimes are crimes that are
committed in several places.
e) Rational and Irrational Crimes
Rational crimes are those committed with intent; offender in in full possession of his mental
faculties/capabilities while irrational crimes are committed without intent; offender does not know
the nature of his act.
f) White collar and Blue-Collar crimes
White collar crimes are those committed by a person of responsibility and of upper socio-
economic class in the course of their occupational activities. Blue collar crimes are those
committed by ordinary professionals to maintain their livelihood.
g) Upper world and Under-world crimes
Upper world crimes are those committed by individuals belonging to the upper class of society.
Under world crimes are committed by members of the lower or under privileges class of the society.
h) Crimes by Imitation and crimes by passion
Crimes by imitation are those committed by merely duplication of what was done by others. Crimes
by passion are crimes committed because of the fit of great emotions.
i) Service crimes
Service crimes refer to crimes committed through rendition of a service to satisfy desire of another.

Sociological classification of Crimes

Social scientist has begun to classify activity according to the noticeable behavior system of those who
engage in it. Although difficult to correlate with available crime statistics, this typology holds the advantage
of enabling criminologist to apply more accurate scientific methods to the study of criminal behavior. This
classification was developed by the American criminologists Marshall B. Clinard and Richard Quinney are
as follows:

➢ Violent personal crime, including murder, assault, rape, and child molestation;
 ➢ Occasional proper crime, such as shoplifting, check forgery, vandalism and some auto theft;
➢ Occasional crime, often referred to as “white-collar crimes”
➢ Political crime, which includes treason, sedition, rebellion, coup d’ etat, espionage, sabotage,
military draft violations, war collaboration, and various protests as criminal (such as guerilla warfare
engaged in by oppressed minorities):
➢ Public order crime, commonly known as “victimless crimes,” including drunkenness, vagrancy,
prostitution or non- forced sex offenses, gambling and drug addiction;
➢ Conventional crime, compressing robbery, larceny, burglary, and most offenses by gangs of
youths.
➢ Organized crime, such as racketeering, commercialized vice, control of drug traffic and illegal
gambling operations.
➢ Professional crimes, including confidence games, forgery, counterfeiting and pick pocketing.

Individuals involved in the first four (4) of this behavioral system usually do not consider themselves as
criminals. Indeed, those committing political crimes actually violate the law as a matter conscience. On the
other hand, persons engaging in conventional, organized, or professional crime are usually aware of the
criminal nature of their activities but will be largely reinforced by support from those engaging in like
behavior.

Criminals of the first two (2) types engage in individual offenses with little or no group support and in
direct violation of the society’s standards of legitimate behavior. Others may aspire at least to social norm
of economic success. Only the occupational or “white-collar” crimes fail to elicit strong societal reactions.
Fraudulent sales, false advertising, the violation of antitrust and labor practice laws sometimes result in
criminal prosecution and conviction, but generally they are too close to fulfillment of the demands for
economic achievement in the Filipino Culture to call forth more than a mild amount of public condemnation.

Distinction between Crime and Sin

Crime is an act or omission against the penal law of a state while sin is an act or omission against
the spiritual or divine law.

Distinctions between Crime and Immorality

➢ Crime is committed against the law of a state while immorality is committed against unwritten social
norms in a society.
➢ Crime is fixed by statute, while immorality is not,
➢ Crime is nationalistic while; immorality is regionalist.