Текст 3. What Is a Crime?

Текст 3. What Is a Crime?

The legal term «crime» is very wide. It can describe minor violations of the road traffic, on the one hand, and murder – on the other. It is not always easy to distinguish crime from civil wrongs.

Traditionally, lawyers have divided crimes into three classes: treasons, felonies and misdemeanors. Crimes in America are so many and varied that the police try to count only those crimes defined as serious. Nevertheless, millions of minor crimes, such as thefts and larcenies, are unreported and not counted each year.

Of all types of serious crimes, seven are chosen for the most comprehensive statistical reporting. They include the most serious crimes and indicate general crime trends. Such crimes are called «Index crimes». They are murder, rape, assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, and car theft. The most serious violent crimes are murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

Violent crimes are widely covered in mass media, while many other crimes, particularly white-collar crimes, are virtually ignored. Reporting of this kind of crime can spoil the reputation of a businessman, and to have a good reputation is very important for business people.

Of all serious crimes political ones occupy a special place. One of the most typical political crimes is assassination of famous public leaders. The killings of American Presidents Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, John F. Kennedy are notorious examples of political assassinations. Other criminal methods of political struggle are assaults, robberies, kidnappings, spying on political opponents.

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