Offence_against_the_person
Offence against the person
Crime that typically involves force or harm upon the person of another
In criminal law, the term offence against the person or crime against the person usually refers to a crime which is committed by direct physical harm or force being applied to another person.
The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (November 2020) |
They are usually analysed by division into the following categories:
- Fatal offences
- Sexual offences
- Non-fatal non-sexual offences
They can be further analysed by division into:
- Assaults
- Injuries
And it is then possible to consider degrees and aggravations, and distinguish between intentional actions (e.g., assault) and criminal negligence (e.g., criminal endangerment).
Offences against the person are usually taken to comprise:
- Fatal offences
- Non-fatal non-sexual offences
- Assault, or common assault
- Battery, or common battery
- Wounding or wounding with intent
- Poisoning[1]
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (and derivative offences)
- Inflicting grievous bodily harm or causing grievous bodily harm with intent (and derivative offences)[2]
These crimes are usually grouped together in common law countries as a legacy of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
Although most sexual offences will also be offences against the person,[3] for various reasons (including sentencing and registration of offenders) sexual crimes are usually categorised separately. Similarly, although many homicides also involve an offence against the person, they are usually categorised under the more serious category.