In criminal law, an offence against the person usually refers to a crime which is committed by direct physical harm or force being applied to another person.
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
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Non-fatal non-sexual offences
- Assault, or common assault
- Battery, or common battery
- Wounding or wounding with intent
- Poisoning
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (and derivative offences)
- Inflicting grievous bodily harm or causing grievous bodily harm with intent (and derivative offences)
The 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, 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.
Famous quotes containing the words offence against the, offence against, offence and/or person:
“A kind of Pythagorean terror, as though the irrationality of pi were an offence against the deity, not to mention his creature.”
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
“A kind of Pythagorean terror, as though the irrationality of pi were an offence against the deity, not to mention his creature.”
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
“One would think, that a deliberate and practical denial of its authority was the only offence never contemplated by government; else, why has it not assigned its definite, its suitable and proportionate, penalty?”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“An American cannot converse, but he can discuss, and his talk falls into a dissertation. He speaks to you as if he was addressing a meeting; and if he should chance to become warm in the discussion, he will say “Gentlemen” to the person with whom he is conversing.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)