Misdemeanor

Misdemeanors (or misdemeanours) are "lesser" criminal acts which are generally punished less severely than felonies; but more so than infractions.

Related Topics:
Criminal - Punished - Felonies - Infractions

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In some jurisdictions, those who are convicted of a misdeameanor are known as misdemeanants. Depending on the jurisdiction, examples of misdemeanors may include: petty theft, prostitution, simple assault, trespass, vandalism, and other similar crimes. In general, misdemeanors are crimes with a maximum punishment of 12 months or less of imprisonment, typically in a jail. Those people who are convicted of misdemeanors are often punished with probation, community service or part-time imprisonment, served on the weekends. In many jurisdictions, misdemeanor convicts who are incarcerated serve their time in a local jail, whereas those convicted of a felony who are sentenced to more than one year serve their time in a prison.

Related Topics:
Convicted - Petty theft - Prostitution - Simple assault - Trespass - Vandalism - Imprisonment - Probation - Community service - Weekend - Jail - Felony

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The federal government and many U.S. states divide misdemeanors into several classes, with certain classes punishable by jail time and others carrying only a fine.

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