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Types of Crimes

Types of crimes are the main groups of offenses the law recognizes, such as crimes against people, crimes against property, financial and fraud offenses, drug offenses, and crimes against the government. They are also sorted by seriousness into categories such as felonies and misdemeanors. Congress and state legislatures define them, and prosecutors decide which to charge.

People usually want to know how one offense differs from another, which crimes are federal and which are state, what separates a serious charge from a minor one, and how offenses such as fraud, treason, or theft are defined.

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October 6last updated

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