What is crime when you think about it? Is it murder, robbery, theft, assault, possession of something you shouldn’t have, or having a good time? And the fact of the matter is that these are all crime where or not you think they were justified, your only choice, or you’re doing it for sheer pleasure. Crime is one of those things that when automatically jump to defend themselves and say I have never committed a crime and I didn’t murder or sexual assault anyone but they completely miss the fact that there are other types of crime each varying in degree of severity. Many of us have committed some kind of crime either as a child or adult and even as both which can be surprising. But does that make us criminals in the eyes of everyone else and the government? And the answer is technically by law yes but to people not really because everyone is guilt of something. They smoke, drink under age, steal, drive illegally, or something of this nature if not worse. Would you label all those kids who go to parties and drink or frats at schools and drink are criminals. The answer is no because people will just say that’s part of being a kid and breaking the rules is not bad unless you hurt someone else. There are people who take sides on this matter and share valid points on why they believe this act to be criminal or not. Sure it breaks the laws but people argue it is so different from those of property and violent crimes so really it is not that bad.
You may say that this definition of crime is very black and white and no shades of grey but that is where you are wrong because crime itself has shades of grey. The motives and the intent are what define that shades of gray in the field of crime. There motive for drinking might not have been bad and in fact it was probably the motive of having a good time and relaxing. But the intent is bad because they knowingly broke the law with their actions, it wasn’t I side effect but the main effect. And when the intent is bad it over powers the motive and that’s where discrimination comes in hand and that’s the shades of grey. They pay attention to the crime that was committed and then look at the reasoning behind it and if the act is completely going overboard with crossing the line like murder, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, and so on. Then you are labeled a criminal in the eyes of the law and the people. But underage drinking is less serious so people don’t label you criminal despite the law saying otherwise and often people over look this crimes and nothing happens to these people.
These crimes are put into groups such as felonies, summary offenses, and misdemeanors. Felonies being number one on the list with part one felonies and part two felonies being the serious felonies and then there being lesser felonies such as possession of pot or other drugs. Part one offense are personal offense which consist of murder, sexual assault, assault, and robbery. Part two offenses are burglary, theft/larceny, automotive theft, and arson. Summary offenses are those of automotive code violations or things of that nature. While misdemeanors are trespass, prostitution, vandalism, and things along those lines.
That’s how the federal government defines crime and the types of crime and their punishments. But what do you think some of these crimes classify as? Are they right and how the sorted the crimes? Are you surprised by the way they do it? Would you call some of these people criminals that you call your friends?
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