PERSONAL CRIMES ANALYSIS 1

Personal Crimes Analysis

Ricardo Valdes

University of Phoenix

Criminal Law
PERSONAL CRIMES ANALYSIS 2

Personal Crimes Analysis

Introduction

Personal Crimes are more commonly referred to as violent crimes. The Uniform

Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines violent crimes "as those offenses which involve

force or threat of force." (Federal Bureau of Investigations. 2009) The personal crimes

that will be discussed are homicide, assault, battery, mayhem, rape, and statutory rape.

This paper will first identify and differentiate the crimes of assault, battery, mayhem,

rape, and statutory rape. This paper will then identify and define the different types of

homicide. Finally, this paper will indicate how the different types of homicide are

associated with assault, battery, mayhem, rape, and statutory rape.

Personal Crime Analysis

A personal crime is a violent crime committed against an individual. The violent

crimes include rape, murder, assault, aggravated assault and robbery. Personal crime

causes harm and emotional pains to its victims. Victims feel violated, helpless, and alone.

The offense can cause them to lose trust in society. Physical and sexual assault can have

devastating effects on the victim. The victim is assaulted by the perpetrator. They are

further traumatized by the legal proceedings that follow the crime. Personal crimes occur

much too often. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (2009) there were

454.5 violent crimes that occurred for every 100, 000 people in 2008. Of these crimes

60.4 percent were aggravated assaults, 32 percent were robberies, 6.4 percent were
PERSONAL CRIMES ANALYSIS 3

forcible rapes, and 1.2 percent were murder show they are differentiated is important to

understanding statistics such as these. An assault is a physical or sexual attack against

another human being. It is a crime of violence against the victim. Assault consists of a

physical attack that causes the victim harm.

This does not always include physical harm. Armed robbery is an example of

assault. An individual can be robbed at gunpoint but not physically harmed. This is still

an assault. Threatened violence is an emotional assault on a victim. Battery is an assault

towards a person which contact of that individual is made. Battery is harm from the crime

which occurred towards the victims. Assault and Battery are many times committed

together. For example if an individual screams threats of violence at a person and appears

agitated it is likely that in this case the victim believes there will be imminent harm. This

is an assault. If the individual then strikes the victim the assault has progressed to a

battery.

Mayhem is an act of violence which deprives an individual of the ability to defend

their body against an attack. If the act disables or disfigures the other individual it is

considered mayhem. An aggravated assault is also considered to be a form of mayhem. It

is disorderly behavior or violent behavior. Mayhem can be caused by group gatherings

that can enrage violence or causes destruction. An example of mayhem would be if the

victim was injured because hot oil was poured by the attacker onto their body. Assault

and battery are sometimes confused with mayhem. In our society it is not unusual for

these crimes to be classified incorrectly. Someone could say they were battered but in

fact they were assaulted. Investigations into these crimes link them to personal crimes as

a gateway to other personal crimes.

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Rape is a crime of forced sexual intercourse. Rape is a sexual assault. It can happen

to anyone. Rape is most commonly committed against women and children but men are

also raped.

A rapist uses force or the threat of violence to commit this heinous crime. An

individual can be raped by a family member, neighbor or stranger. Rape is a violent

crime committed for the power it brings the offender. Rape frightens and terrorizes the

victims. It can be devastating to an individual and have lasting lifelong effects. Rape

victims rarely report the crime of rape due to shame. They often blame themselves for

being raped. Rape victims are often ostracized and made to feel at blame for this crime.

Statutory rape is rape but its legal definition is different. Statutory rape is sexual

intercourse with a minor. Even if the minor consents to the sexual act it is illegal and

considered rape. A minor cannot consent to sexual activity or intercourse. These laws

include any and all sexual activity. All states have an age of consent. This is the age

which is determined by the state in which a minor can consent to sexual activity. If the

sexual activity occurs with a child under the age of 18 the penalties are harsher. The age

difference is generally taken into account when charging adults with statutory rape. An

example of statutory rape is a 19 year boy is having sexual relations with a 17 year old

girl and her parents are not aware of the relationship they can contact the police

department and accuse the 19 year boy of statutory rape even if the girl gave consent of

to the sexual relationship. Assault and battery may be components of rape if an attacker

cause harm to the victim while he is raping her. The attacker may threaten harm to the

victim if the victim does not conform. This is usual. In some rape cases mayhem or

homicide have been committed in conjunction with the rape.

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When an individual takes the life of another its called homicide. It could be

intentional or unintentional. Homicide has many parts. It is recommended to know what

they are and how they are different. The types of homicide that will be discussed are

suicide, felony murder, manslaughter, first-degree murder, and second-degree murder.

Violent crimes are often in our neighborhoods. Many personal crimes are not

uncommon to be homicide because of the nature of the crimes. Victims support groups

assist people in dealing with the disturbing wounds that are received from attacks.

Training will assist you in avoiding such attacks on people from continuing to happen.

Captain Ed Bailey states, “Most criminals are opportunist. This means they take

advantage of promising situation that are presented to them. They key to crime

prevention is to remove the opportunities for crime from our daily activities.” (Bailey

2006) Personal crime devastates the victim and forever changes their lives. The

individual sense of personal security is destroyed. Personal crime can emotionally and

physically damage the individual. Individuals lose trust in society and confidence in their

own self. Personal crime can forever change a victim.

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References

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Personal Crime Data. Retrieved from

http://search.fbi.gov/ =personal+crimes+data

Kimberly Irish Tar-box (March 23, 2010). Personal Crimes. Retrieved from

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2816464/personal_crimes_

University of Phoenix website, eBook library, Criminal Law Today, Fourth Edition,

chapter 7 and 8