6 Most Common Felonies In The World

There are two kinds of crimes that a person can commit; misdemeanors and felonies. The word “felony” refers to the most serious crimes and there is a range of crimes that are classed as felonies. A felony can be an offense done against a person, against a person’s property or can be drug or weapon-related. Felonies carry significant legal penalties for perpetrators, including heavy fines, prison sentences, and in the case of murder, even the death penalty in some states.

In this article, we will explain the 7 most common felonies in the world.

1. Assault

An assault can be classified as either a misdemeanor or as a felony depending on the circumstances of the offense. Assault is the act of inflicting physical harm on another person and as the assault is so common, it is necessary to differentiate between different kinds of assault to make sentencing fair and proportionate to the crime. The State where the assault took place is also a big determining factor in how strictly a perpetrator will be treated. The legal experts at https://www.belenlawfirm.com/blog/criminal-defense-attorney/arizona-felonies-and-penalties/ mention that assault can carry serious legal penalties for perpetrators so making sure you have good legal representation is vital for anyone who has been charged with assault. If you commit assault with a deadly weapon like an axe, for example, then that is a far more severe crime than if you punched someone in a minor altercation. Where this can change however is in the result that a single punch or something similar results in a serious injury like if the victim receives brain damage or other life-threatening injuries. 

2. Sexual Assault and Rape

The second common felony that is rightfully heavily punishable by law is sexual assault and rape. Sexual assault is classified as any acts of a sexual nature done to someone against their will or without their knowledge or consent. The definition of rape varies from state to state, but it is usually the most serious of all sexual assault felonies. The legal consequences of committing sexual assault or rape depend on various factors, including the specific actions done by the perpetrator, their victim’s age, and whether any weapon or chemical coersion was involved. 

3. Facilitating or Promoting Prostitution

Facilitating or working in the promotion of prostitution is a very common felony that carries various levels of punishment. Depending on the specifics of the charges and the State in which the crime was committed, the penalties for promoting prostitution vary widely but are always very serious. The criminals who promote prostitution are commonly known as pimps and if caught, pimps face heavy fines and long prison sentences. Often pimps are charged with other crimes simultaneously like sexual assault, assault, and kidnapping. Many prostitutes are being forced to work against their will or are the victims of human and sex trafficking so each case is unique. 

4. Kidnapping

Kidnapping is a very serious felony that carries very heavy legal penalties. Kidnapping is defined as an individual or a group of individuals taking another individual or group of individuals against their will. This is often done to get money from the victim or their friends or family in the form of a ransom or may be done to torture, kill, or sexually assault the victims. Some of the most shocking crimes begin with kidnapping and in all cases, kidnappers receive long prison sentences when they are caught. 

5. Property Theft

Unlike the other felonies in this list, theft is a felony involving property rather than a crime against a person. In many states, there are various classes of the felony of theft depending on what the stolen property is, its value, and the circumstances of when and where the theft took place. The most serious theft cases are when guns have been stolen or when there has been the theft of chemicals or other substances required to synthesize narcotics.

6. Drug Offenses

Drug offenses are seen as the most controversial of all felony charges because the categorization of illegal drugs is very changeable. For example, there are many prisoners incarcerated for marijuana charges even in the States where marijuana possession is now legal and where the charges that those prisoners were sentenced to no longer exist. Drug offences vary depending on the type of drugs, the quantity that was being sold or trafficked, and the jurisdiction where the charges are being read. 

Various crimes are classed as felonies and all of them carry some serious penalties for the perpetrators. Whilst there are various factors involved in the legal system deciding on the appropriate punishment for felonies, anything being charged with a felony needs to seriously consider the state of their legal representation because there are very severe consequences for committing any of the felonies on this list. Visit here for more information.