Crimes defined as violent may vary by state, but they often include crimes of harm against another person like assault or battery, sexual crimes like rape, and serious property crimes like arson. Although homicide crimes are often considered a separate category of criminal law, many jurisdictions consider murder and non-negligent manslaughter to be violent crimes. For instance, for statistical purposes, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines four categories of violent crimes: murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Crimes of Harm Against Another
Most states consider crimes where an individual harms or threatens to harm another person to be violent crimes. Two of the most common of these crimes are assault and battery. Assault is an intentional act that causes another person to be in fear of imminent bodily harm. Battery is similar to assault, but it requires that actual physical contact or harm has occurred. While the two crimes were traditionally distinct from each other, many states now refer to simply one crime of “assault and battery.” Assault may also become “aggravated” where the threat of harm is particularly offensive, such as when the assault is committed using a deadly weapon.
Many states also define particular violent crimes according to special categories of victims who may face harm or the threat of harm from a perpetrator. These include domestic abuse and child abuse. Domestic abuse criminalizes harmful conduct against individuals who are family members or with whom the perpetrator shares a close relationship. It is prohibited under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and many states have enacted similar statutes to address the unique circumstances of domestic violence crimes. Similarly, most states make special efforts to protect children, given their status as especially vulnerable victims, and to prosecute those who engage in child abuse. These statutes often extend child abuse crimes beyond physical harm to include emotional and sexual abuse. Child abuse statutes may also criminalize kidnapping, although many states have also enacted separate kidnapping statutes.
Sexual Crimes
Both state and federal laws typically categorize offensive sexual crimes as violent crimes. These include rape and sexual assault. Rape is a form of battery that involves sexual contact with another person without his or her consent. It may involve violent physical contact, or it may be accomplished by means of emotional manipulation or a victim’s inability to consent. In any of these circumstances, it is considered a violent crime because of the highly offensive violations that the victim experiences. Statutory rape is a special category of rape that occurs when an adult individual has sexual contact with another person who is below the age of consent, which varies from state to state. Since the younger participant is statutorily unable to consent, the action is categorized as criminal rape even if the minor gave his or her actual consent.
Property Crimes
Although property crimes are generally considered to be a separate category of offenses, criminal laws have designated the crime of arson as one type of property crime that is so harmful as to constitute a violent crime. Arson involves the intentional burning of the building of another, often a personal home or property. Since arson is such a destructive crime, it is punished harshly under criminal laws.
Arson is defined as the willful and malicious burning of the property of another. It is considered a violent crime and is treated as a felony in most states. According to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, almost 17,000 acts of arson occur ...
Assault and battery are two violent crimes that involve threatening harm or causing actual harm to another person. In some states, assault and battery remain two separate crimes, while others have slowly merged the two into one general crime. Additio...
Although all violent crimes are condemned by society, special repugnance is reserved for those who commit the crime of child abuse. This involves harm committed against a child and extends to all potential abusers, including parents, caretakers, coac...
Domestic violence is a category of violent crime that applies to abuse and disputes that may arise in a familial or relationship context. Since the violence is “domestic,” it often occurs within the confines of the home or private spaces where there ...
Kidnapping is a serious crime that is prohibited by both federal and state laws. It is commonly defined as the taking of a person against his or her will, or restricting that person to a confined space. Although kidnapping is a crime that frequently ...
Rape is a violent crime that is defined as unwanted sexual intercourse that is accomplished by force or threat of force. While women make up a significant percentage of rape victims, rape may be perpetrated against either men or women and may arise i...
