The main reason why people may get arrested is that they have committed a crime, or are believed to have broken the law.
Learning more about the types of crime may actually help people avoid the need for a Los Angeles criminal lawyer, based on the premise that most people may probably avoid committing a specific crime once they gain knowledge of it.
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Crime, in its simplest definition, may refer to any action that may be considered as the breach of law. Committing a crime usually results in being arrested and being punished. A person who is believed to be a criminal is not pronounced guilty immediately because of the process of upholding human rights, best seen in having your own Los Angeles criminal attorney to defend you in court.
It may even be right to say that some people who have really been guilty of committing a crime may still be able to get away with it if they have the best Los Angeles criminal lawyer.
Crime may be classified into the following:
Felonies and Misdemeanors
A felony may be considered as a grave crime with the minimum punishment of being put to jail for a year. Of course, the more serious the level of felony, the longer a person may remain in jail. Here are some crimes that may be considered as felonies:
- Robbery
- Rape
- Kidnapping
There may be offenses similar to felonies but are known as misdemeanors. The level of involvement and the kind of situation a person is in may help determine whether the crime committed was a felony or a misdemeanor.
A Los Angeles criminal attorney may be the best person to talk to who will help you distinguish a felony from a misdemeanor. For example, a drug lord may be considered guilty of a felony, while the people who bought drugs from him in small amounts and have been arrested may be considered guilty of a misdemeanor.
When it comes to punishing someone for the crime of felony, your Los Angeles criminal lawyer will inform you that the usual punishment is imprisonment. However, for a crime of very serious felony like espionage, murder, etc., the person who committed the crime may be sentenced to death.
Aside from that, seizure of property may also be done to a felon as well as prohibition in participating in voting, running for public office, etc.
Infraction
An infraction, also another type of crime, may be described as a crime of a much lower level than a misdemeanor. A Los Angeles criminal attorney may also refer to an infraction as a petty offense. An infraction case may sometimes not even be considered as a ‘criminal case,’ but as a civil case.
A person who has committed an infraction crime is seldom put into prison. An infraction commonly does not require the loss of any right such as the right to vote, the right to be elected, etc. The typical punishment is paying a fine or a suspension of a license. A fine of $1000-5000 may be required from one who is found guilty of an infraction. Of course, a Los Angeles criminal lawyer is also needed by someone who is arrested for an infraction as there will still be administrative ‘hearings’ to attend to.
The most common infractions include the following:
- Littering
- Speeding
- Causing a disturbance
Misdemeanors such as petty theft, possession of marijuana, and trespassing may now be considered as infractions for first-time offenders.
Traffic Offenses
A traffic offense may be considered as the most commonly performed crime. A Los Angeles criminal attorney may be able to inform you about the two categories of traffic offenses.
The first one may be considered a minor traffic offense. Simple speeding and improper lane change fall under the minor traffic offense category.
There is also what we call the Serious Traffic Offense which may be described as a grave offense. Examples include reckless driving, driving while intoxicated, etc.
People found guilty of the crime of traffic offense are usually fined. Other negative effects may be a suspension of your driver’s license, an increase in your auto insurance premiums, and being put into prison.
Just like other types of crime, having a Los Angeles criminal lawyer to defend you is also required, specifically if what you have committed is a serious traffic offense. Getting thorough information on the types of crime is not enough. Following the rules is still a must in avoiding the performance of a crime. For an in-depth crime explanation, consulting a Los Angeles criminal attorney is recommended.
