what is considered a serious offense
Types of Criminal Offenses. Many states group criminal offenses into two categories: misdemeanors and felonies. A misdemeanor is a lesser offense, such as theft, and the punishment is typically less than one year in a local jail. Felonies are more serious crimes that include rape, murder and kidnapping, and offenders are usually sentenced to more than one year in prison. Some states refer to criminal offenses in terms of degrees. A fourth-degree offense such as mischief is less serious than a first-degree crime such as murder. The least serious criminal offenses are called infractions. Vandalism and traffic violations are examples of infractions.