Definition

Felony (Ro.: infracțiune gravă/ cu un grad ridicat de pericol social, Gr.: κακούργημα, Cz.: zločin) (See also: misdemeanour, crime, homicide, delinquency,  maleficence) = a crime considered as being serious or grave. 

In most legal systems, ‘felony’ refers to a crime which is more serious than a ‘misdemeanour’, being punishable by imprisonment or, in several legal systems, with death. For example, these are considered to be felonies: murder, rape, kidnapping, arson, burglary, robbery, theft. 

 

Useful links

Legislation

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/44/introduction - Criminal Justice Act 2003

http://legislationline.org/download/action/download/id/3235/file/Germany_CC_1971_amended_2009_en.pdf - Criminal Code of Germany

Article 18 of the Greek Criminal Code [Greek]

Organizations and associations

http://www.trynova.org/ - National Organization for Victim Assistance

http://www.victimsofcrime.org/ - The National Centre for Victims of Crime

http://www.hirenetwork.org/content/about-us - The National H.I.R.E Network

Publications

Birder, Guyora, 2012, Felony Murder, USA, Stanford University Press

Champion, Dean J, 1988, Felony probation: problems and prospects, New York, Praeger

Online Publications

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/crimes-felonies-misdemeanors-infractions-classification-33814.html - Bergman, Felonies, Misdemeanors, and Infractions: Classifying Crimes, Nolo Law for all

 

By Ioana Bărăian