Function

• Smoking is now a crime in many places.
  
  Behavior is labeled a crime to discourage it from happening. The more serious the behavior, the more serious the penalties are. As laws are subject to change, what is and what is not a crime may also change, but they will always reflect what is important to a society. For example, anti-smoking laws have gained prevalence in recent years as society has determined that the health and medical costs make it something to discourage.
  
  

Types

• Littering is a misdemeanor
  
  It would not make sense to punish all crimes equally, so they are broken down into two kinds: misdemeanors and felonies. These are legal distinctions, based on the severity of the crime as well as the punishment that can be handed out for the crime. This includes where and how long jail time--if any--is served. What is a misdemeanor and what is a felony also varies to some extent by jurisdiction, though the serious felonies are universal. Murder, for example, is a serious crime in every country.
  
  

Features

• Robbery is a felony
  
  Misdemeanors are considered lesser crimes. These are such things as littering, driving under the influence and disturbing the peace. Simple assault and battery and petty theft, such as shoplifting, are also generally misdemeanors. These crimes are punishable by a fine, such as a speeding ticket, a jail term not exceeding one year in a city or county facility, or a combination of both. Felonies are crimes such as arson, rape, burglary and murder. These are always punishable by longer jail sentences which are usually served at a state prison. Felonies are also covered by "three strikes" laws that punish repeat offenders.
  
  

Significance

• When a fire is set deliberately, it is arson and a crime.
  
  The difference between the two types is because society places more emphasis on preventing some crimes than others. While smoking in public places is now against the law in many states, it is not something that society feels should warrant going to jail for. Drug use, on the other hand, often carries stiff criminal penalties including jail sentences. Shoplifting is not considered as dangerous as armed robbery, so the penalties for both crimes are different, even though they are both theft.
  
  

Considerations

• Computer crimes have grown in recent years
  
  What constitutes a crime has changed over the years and can vary from country to country. This is why in some countries it can be a crime to belong to a certain political or religious group, even though that is not a crime in the United States. Certain practices were once crimes but are no longer, most notably those laws aimed at promoting discrimination. In some cases, the law does not keep up with the times, so that something may be undesirable in the eyes of society, but in absence of a law not yet a crime. This has been the case in recent times with many forms of computer crime.