In life, we follow laws and orders that govern our living. They allow us to live accordingly, honestly, and mannerly without hurting other people around us. Since every action we make could lead to another, thousands of laws identify what is right from wrong. Some of the categories of law are criminal, constitutional, corporate, family, civil, administrative, and more.
One of the law types that many TV shows and movies create thrilling plot twists from is criminal law. Fictional works like movies portray criminal lawyers as professionals who are always busy working on a criminal case and defending their clients in the best possible way. In real life, the responsibilities of criminal lawyers are not far from that.
Since we come across criminal law on the news, books, and shows we watch, it would be helpful to educate ourselves about it further. In this post, let’s understand the offences under criminal law, particularly crimes against a person.
Crimes against a person
One of the categories of criminal law is crimes against a person. Crimes against a person are one of the most common categories we encounter in the news and works of fiction we consume. Justia.com defines crimes against a person as those that result in physical or mental harm to another person.
Usually, crimes against a person come in two categories, which are homicide and other violent crimes. If a defendant is guilty of a criminal offence, they will have charges for the crime they committed. Some examples are first-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, or vehicular homicide. To get to know further, here are some of the crimes under crimes against a person.
Assault and Battery
Findlaw.com defines assault as an intentional violence or force attempt to injure or harm another person. Battery, on the other hand, is the act of intentionally touching or applying force to another person nonconsensually. Both assault and battery are considered violent crimes.
The law recognises minor degrees of assault and battery as a misdemeanour offence where an offender could face potential penalties of jail time, fines, and costs. If the degree of a crime of assault and battery is intense, it could rise to a felony, depending on the case’s circumstances. The presence or use of deadly weapons and critical physical harm are some factors that could turn an assault and battery crime into a felony.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is another crime under crimes against a person, which refers to the repetitive or pattern of behaviour towards another person. That behaviour exerts power and control over an individual, which can be physical violence, sexual assault, economic control, psychological abuse, and emotional abuse.
The characteristics of crimes under domestic violence have similarities with assault and battery. But one of the main differences is that a domestic violence crime involves an intimate or family relationship in the picture. If a domestic violence case involves a serious crime, it may bring more criminal charges.
Kidnapping and Abduction
When a person takes another person against their will to a place or holds them against their will, that’s considered kidnapping. The offences a person can get for kidnapping vary on the intent, substantial risk of harm, and the level of endangerment the victim goes through. Abduction, on the other hand, is considered as a lesser offence of kidnapping.
Findlaw.com recognises abduction as an offence where a victim may undergo a false imprisonment situation. It can happen when a person holds or detains another person without lawful authority and their consent.
Stalking and Harassment
When another person shows a repetitive pattern of following another person in their daily routine, private residence, place of work, and other places they frequent, it’s an offence called stalking. When a person commits stalking, the victim could feel like the other person will cause them physical harm and can result in physical distress.
Harassment, on the other hand, refers to words or behaviours that threaten, intimidate, or demean a person. It is an unwanted, uninvited, and unwelcome action that causes the victim nuisance, alarm, and emotional distress. Stalking and harassment cases can now happen online if another person harasses you through text and calls or evades your social media accounts.
Hate Crimes
Findlaw.com defines hate crimes as crimes that concern a specific bias or prejudice. The motivation for hate crimes is to impose other people’s prejudiced beliefs regarding a group. Hate crimes involve crimes against race or ethnic background, religion, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability.
Crimes against a person are controversial and sensitive.
Indeed, criminal cases under crimes against a person are diverse and cover a range of offences. And regardless of the offence, it’s undeniable how controversial and sensitive these crimes are. It can affect a person tremendously and cause a lifetime of trauma, pain, distress, and emotional toll. Familiarising yourself with its basics is helpful to help others who could be a victim of any of these crimes to get out of the situation but are unaware of them.
Written by Bianca Banda
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