Violent Crimes Classification in the United States Dissertation

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Introduction

When it comes to violent crimes and different types of homicides, every state in the United States of America has its classification. Nonetheless, there are several general categories which are typical for every state. These categories include murder, manslaughter, and defensible homicide (Siegel, 2015). Irrespective of the conditions under which the crime was committed and the ultimate charges, homicide can be characterized as a delinquent act that comprises the taking of human life. If an individual is involved in the legal process concerning a homicide, a professional homicide attorney should be invited so as to help the individual and provide them with all the necessary information.

Analysis

There are two key subtypes of murder – first-degree murder and second-degree murder. First-degree murder is the severest charge out of all murder types and subtypes. The individual is usually charged with first-degree murder when the delinquency involves an intentional and planned murder. One of the most infamous first-degree murder cases was the case of OJ Simpson. He was believed to plan the murder of his wife, then invade her mansion in Brentwood, and stab her multiple times (Douglas, Burgess, & Ressler, 2013). OJ Simpson turned himself in after a short, low-speed chase. He was found to be legally responsible for his activities. As a matter of fact, first-degree murders deserve the severest punishments. The majority of the individuals who commit first-degree murder are penalized with a death sentence or life sentence.

Second-degree murder relates to the cases where there is not enough evidence to prove that the criminal had planned to kill the victim. Nevertheless, the court takes into consideration the fact that the murderer still wanted the victim to die from the received wounds. The case of Phil Spector is one of the most famous second-degree murder cases. In this case, the famous producer did not intend to kill his female guest. She was shot in the mouth, and lawyers claimed that it was because of her suicidal tendencies and not Spector’s actions (Douglas et al., 2013). Regardless, Spector was ultimately sent to prison to serve a life sentence. Second-degree murders are commonly referred to as crimes of passion. They are called this way because the murders occur during heated arguments and cannot be fully intentional. In some states, there is no possibility to be released on parole, and the only option is a life sentence (but everything depends on the circumstances and the laws functioning within the state) (Douglas et al., 2013).

In the case of manslaughter, the individual who is accused of murder did not intend to kill the victim or plan the crime beforehand. This type of charge commonly transpires during the cases which involve an accidental death under inadvertent circumstances (Palmer & Humphrey, 2013). The final verdict regarding the person who committed manslaughter heavily depends on the state laws and all the additional conditions.

A justifiable (or defensible) homicide is a case in which the murder was committed as a means of self-defense or under analogous circumstances. In a broader sense, it is not a type of legal custody. On the contrary, it can be described as a possibility to register and classify the charges when a person died, but no lawbreaking was committed (Wagner, 2013). The final verdict is reached within the jurisdiction of the given state and may include no criminal charges at all.

References

Douglas, J. E., Burgess, A., & Ressler, R. K. (2013). Crime classification manual: A standard system for investigating and classifying violent crimes. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Palmer, S. H., & Humphrey, J. A. (2013). Deviant behavior: Patterns, sources, and control. New York, NY: Plenum.

Siegel, L. J. (2015). Criminology: The core (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Wagner, W. E. (2013). Practice of research in criminology and criminal justice. New York, NY: Sage.

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