Criminal law involves prosecution by the government of a person for an act legally classified as a crime. People convicted of a crime may be incarcerated and/or fined.

Crime can be defined as the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority (via mechanisms such as legal systems) can ultimately prescribe a conviction. Individual human societies may each define crime and crimes differently. While every crime violates the law, not every violation of the law counts as a crime.

Criminal cases differ fundamentally from civil lawsuits. Criminal prosecution intends to punish undesirable actions, while civil lawsuits generally have it in mind to enforce private rights or compulsions or redress private wrongs. In a criminal case, the state brings charges against the accused through a prosecutor, while civil cases generally are between private parties or between a private party and a government entity.

Crimes include both felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies usually are punishable by imprisonment of a year or more, while misdemeanors are punishable by less than a year. However, no act is a crime if it has not been previously established as such either by statute or common law. To name a few we have discussed some crimes: -

Felony

A felony is a serious crime punishable by at least one year in prison. Some family law felonies include kidnapping and custodial interference (in some states).

DWI/DUI

DWIs and DUIs are seriously litigated crimes. Each state differs in its laws governing driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence.

Traffic Tickets

Traffic violations differ by state but include offenses such as speeding violations and hit-and-runs.

The Criminal Justice System

There are many steps in the criminal justice system between getting arrested and being sentenced to prison or released.

Fundamental Rights of the Accused

The Bill of Rights guarantees certain rights to criminal defendants. The right to a trial by jury and the right to be protected against unlawful searches and seizures are two well-known examples.

 

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanors are less serious than felonies but still may carry hefty fines or prison sentences. States vary in the crimes they classify as misdemeanors. Often a crime which is a misdemeanor for the first offense becomes a felony for repeated offenses. All crimes that are not felonies are misdemeanors.

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile justice is the area of law that determines the appropriate punishment for juveniles (person who is under the age in which one legally assumes adulthood) who commit crimes and other offenses.

Forfeiture

Criminal forfeiture -the government seizure of property connected to illegal activity -operates as punishment for a crime.

White-Collar Crimes

These are non-violent crimes, such as fraud, embezzlement and bribery, committed by corporations or individuals in the course of business activities.