Legal Definitions - crimes against persons

Crimes Against Persons

Crimes against persons refer to a category of criminal offenses where an individual directly harms or threatens to harm another person. These crimes involve the actual use of physical force, the threat of physical force, or actions that cause a reasonable fear of immediate bodily harm or death to a victim.

Here are some examples illustrating this legal term:

• Example 1: Kidnapping

  Imagine a situation where an individual, without legal authority, forcibly takes and holds another person against their will, perhaps to demand a ransom or for some other unlawful purpose. This act involves the direct use of force or the threat of force to control the victim's movement and liberty.

  How it illustrates the term: Kidnapping is a clear crime against a person because it involves the perpetrator using or threatening to use force to unlawfully seize and detain another individual, directly infringing upon their personal safety and freedom.

• Example 2: Battery

  Consider a scenario where one person intentionally shoves another person to the ground during an argument, causing them to scrape their knee. Even if the injury is minor, the act of unwanted physical contact constitutes battery.

  How it illustrates the term: Battery is a crime against a person because it involves the intentional application of physical force or violence upon another individual, resulting in offensive contact or bodily harm, however slight.

• Example 3: Stalking

  Suppose an individual repeatedly follows, harasses, or monitors another person, sending them unwanted messages, appearing at their home or workplace, and making them fear for their safety. While there might not be immediate physical contact, the persistent pattern of behavior creates a credible threat of harm.

  How it illustrates the term: Stalking is considered a crime against a person because the perpetrator's actions, though not always involving direct physical contact, create a reasonable apprehension of bodily harm or death in the victim, thereby threatening their personal safety and psychological well-being.