A misdemeanor is considered a minor criminal offense that is punishable by a fine and jail time for up 
to one year. 
Felony 
A felony is an offense that is punishable by a sentence of more than one year in state or federal prison 
and sometimes by death. 
Many different types of crimes and punishments can be handed out by the criminal justice system. Each 
state determines what and how this will operate if discussing state-level crime. Other crimes are defined in 
federal statutes and can get punished at the federal level such as treason. Some crimes are seen as more severe, 
especially if they are violent in nature or harm people. Others may get seen as a ‘victimless’ or behavior that 
gets seen as consensual, yet undesirable to those making the laws. This general overview demonstrates the 
complexity of defining crime and understanding the role society has in shaping these perceptions. 
ALISON S. BURKE, DAVID CARTER, BRIAN FEDOREK, TIFFANY MOREY, LORE RUTZ-BURRI, AND SHANELL
SANCHEZ
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