What Are the Different Types of Crimes?
Under the common law (judge-made law) inherited from England, crimes are divided into two main categories – felonies and misdemeanors. The distinction between them is based on the crime’s seriousness and on the length of punishment. Felonies are crimes generally punishable by more than one year’s imprisonment. You have the right to a jury trial when charged with a felony crime. The common law felonies include murder, rape, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and treason. Misdemeanors are crimes generally punishable by less than one year’s imprisonment. You have the right to a jury trial when charged with a misdemeanor if the crime is considered serious enough to warrant a jury trial. The State of California classifies crimes by felony / misdemeanor and then degree. There are five degrees of felony crimes: capital, life, first, second, and, third degree. Capital felonies, punishable by death, include the most serious crimes like murder and sexual battery on a child less than twelve years of
