Crime &

Criminal 
Related Concepts
Lecture# 4
 Crime 
• A crime may be defined as an act or omission punishable by law.
Crimes are generally categorized as either felonies or misdemeanors,
with felonies being the more serious offenses.
• Individuals who engage in crimes may be subject to criminal penalties
such as imprisonment, probation, or community service.
Criminal Law:
Criminal law is a special branch of law that deals with crimes. It
establishes the legal definition of a crime and prescribes punishments
for different types of crimes.
Types of Crimes
• Generally, crimes can be categorized into four broad categories:
property crimes, personal crimes, statutory crimes, and inchoate
crimes.
• The other forms of crime include hate crimes, white-collar crimes,
organized crimes, and crimes against morality.
1. Personal Crimes
Personal crimes are usually generalized as acts of violence that cause
physical, emotional, or psychological harm to the victim. It also
includes sexual offenses against the victim. Some of the common
personal crimes are assault, battery, rape, murder, and kidnapping.
Assault:  is defined as an unlawful act that causes another person to
fear for their safety.
 Battery: on the other hand, is defined as the unlawful use of force
against another person.
Murder: is the intentional killing of another person.
 Kidnapping: is the act of taking someone against their will and
holding them in captivity.
2. Property Crime
Property crimes involve the damage or destruction of another person’s
property. It also includes theft, burglary, and vandalism.
Theft is defined as the act of taking another person’s property
forcefully with the intent to turn it into yours.
Burglary: is the unlawful entry into a building with the intent to
commit a crime.
 Vandalism: is the deliberate destruction or damage of another
person’s property.
3. Statuary Crime:
Statutory crimes are offenses created by statutes or laws passed by
legislatures. These crimes are usually classified according to their
seriousness as either felonies or misdemeanors.
The most common statutory crimes are DUI, drug offenses, and traffic
offenses.
DUI is the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Drug offenses: involve the unlawful possession, sale, manufacture, or
distribution of controlled substances.
Traffic offenses: are violations of the rules of the road that govern the
operation of vehicles.
4. Inchoate Crimes:
Inchoate crimes are offenses that are committed in furtherance of a crime.
They are also known as incomplete crimes because the criminal act is not
completed. The most common inchoate crimes are attempt, conspiracy,
and solicitation.
 Attempt: is defined as the unlawful act of trying to commit a crime
but failing to do so.
  Conspiracy: is the unlawful act of agreeing with another person to
commit a crime. 
Solicitation is the unlawful act of encouraging another person to commit a
crime.
5. Hate Crimes
Hate crimes are offenses that are motivated by bias or prejudice against a
certain group of people. The most common victim groups of hate crimes are
minorities, people, and religious groups.
Some of the common hate crimes are assault, battery, vandalism, and
property damage.
6. White-Collar Crimes
White-collar crimes are nonviolent offenses committed by business
professionals occupying high positions in organizations to gain financial
benefits. 
The most common white-collar crimes are embezzlement, fraud, and
money laundering.
White-collar crimes tend to generate less public concern because they are
not considered to be as harmful as violent crimes. However, they can
significantly impact the victim’s finances and well-being.
 7.Organized Crimes
Organized crimes are offenses that are committed by groups or organizations
of people. These crimes are usually complex and involve multiple
participants. The most common organized crimes are drug trafficking,
human trafficking, and money laundering.
 Organized crimes are often associated with criminal enterprises such as
the Yakuza in Japan and the Mafia in Italy.
 These enterprises are often involved in various illegal activities, such as
gambling.
Deviancy Crime
8. Crimes Against Morality: 
• Crimes against morality are also known as victimless crimes because no
victim or complainant exists. The most common crimes against morality
are prostitution, gambling, and drug use.
• These offenses are often considered victimless because the people who
engage in them do so willingly, and there is no force or coercion
involved.
• However, some people argue that these crimes do have victims. For
instance, prostitution can result in the spread of diseases such as
HIV/AIDS.
• While victimless crimes are often seen as being harmless, they can
sometimes lead to other criminal activities. For instance, drug use can
lead to drug trafficking and violence.
9. Crimes Against Humanity:
• Crimes against Humanity are offenses committed against a group of
people with the intention of destroying, harming, or killing them. The
most common crimes against Humanity are genocide, war crimes, and
crimes against civilians.
• These offenses are often committed during times of conflict or war.
They can also be motivated by hate or prejudice.
• Crimes Against Humanity are considered the most serious of all
crimes because they involve the intentional destruction of a group of
people. They are often punishable by death or life in prison.