Violent Crime

Any criminal act which involves the use of force, or threat of force against another person is considered to be a Violent Crime. This may or may not involve the use of a weapon. The United States Department of Justice acknowledges four types of actions as being Violent Crimes.

Murder

The act of murder involves a plan that was created in advance for the express purpose of taking a life. This concept is often referred to as malice aforethought. It is the worst type of homicide and therefore it receives the highest level of punishment.

Rape

The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program of the Department of Justice defines rape as "the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will". An unsuccessful attempt to commit rape would still be classified as a violent crime.

One form of rape that is not considered to be a violent crime is Statutory Rape. This involves intercourse with a minor. It is not a forced act, but people under the legal age limit are not thought of as being capable of understanding what it means to consent to a sexual act. So while this is still a criminal act, it does not qualify as being violent as long as it is consensual.

One of the major issues regarding rape cases is that many go unreported every year. Victims can feel ashamed or guilty about what has happened, and may even feel they are partially to blame. They may be in need of counseling to deal with what has happened to them. Anyone who has been victimized by this violent crime should seek immediate medical attention and report the crime to law enforcement officials.

Robbery

The act of robbery involves forcibly taking or attempting to take money or any other valuable item from another person. This crime involves a victim who is put into direct contact with the criminal. A crime of theft in which the victim even fears potential harm may be considered to be robbery.

Most robberies are committed in public areas, commonly on a street, alley or even on a highway. Acts of robbery also occur in homes and business locations, most notably within banks.

Aggravated Assault

The UCR Program lists the definition of aggravated assault as "An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury". This usually involves the use of a weapon and therefore the possibility of severe bodily harm or even death. Even a threat to use a weapon against another person is considered to be a violent crime, and is referred to as Attempted Aggravated Assault. An attempt is counted in this category whenever a weapon may potentially be used to inflict injury.

The threat of violent crime in America has led to many citizens carrying weapons for their own protection. Non lethal self defense products such as pepper spray or Taser guns have grown in popularity over the years as people decide to take their security into their own hands.

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