Types of crimes
Completion requirements
Crimes are often grouped by severity. Look at the following common law categorical terms and discuss the corresponding categorisation in your jurisdiction.
In the UK indictable offences are serious offences tried on an indictment, i.e. a formal accusation, usually by a judge and a jury (e.g. murder, robbery), while summary offences are tried by lay magistrates without the right to a jury (e.g. minor traffic offences). There are also offences that are tried either way (e.g. theft). In the US a similar classification is made in accordance with the imposed penalty: a crime punishable by more than a year in prison is termed a felony, between 5 days and a year – a misdemeanour, and less than 5 days – an infraction.
In the UK indictable offences are serious offences tried on an indictment, i.e. a formal accusation, usually by a judge and a jury (e.g. murder, robbery), while summary offences are tried by lay magistrates without the right to a jury (e.g. minor traffic offences). There are also offences that are tried either way (e.g. theft). In the US a similar classification is made in accordance with the imposed penalty: a crime punishable by more than a year in prison is termed a felony, between 5 days and a year – a misdemeanour, and less than 5 days – an infraction.