Not all crimes are equal. From the petty thief who picks up a necklace at a department store, to the criminal who plans and commits a murder, there are a range of crimes that differ in type and severity. Classifying these crimes can help the judge and jury understand the seriousness of what took place and thus hopefully result in a fitting consequence. The U.S. constitution outlaws the use of “cruel and unusual punishment.” It would certainly be unusual punishment to sentence someone who forged a $20 check to 10 years in prison. Thus it clearly follows that the punishment should be based on the severity of the crime. Classifying crimes into categories of type and seriousness can facilitate this process. Distinguishing between violent and nonviolent crimes also helps to indicate what kind of threat the offender poses to society. Prison terms are based on the severity of the crime as well as on the need to protect the innocent. Someone who kidnaps children, for example, would qualify for a longer prison term based on how serious kidnapping is and what could happen to other children if the kidnapper is released prematurely. White collar criminals are a financial threat to the people and businesses they would take advantage of and fraudulently obtain money from. Often, these criminals are caught after embezzling tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. These individuals may not be violent, but they pose a considerable threat to society nonetheless. Classifying crimes helps prevent excessive punishment as well as inadequate punishment. Within classifications, for each state, there is usually a range of prison time and a maximum amount of fines to aid the judge in selecting an appropriate sentence. The two goals for the sentencing are to punish the offender and protect the innocent. It may not be a perfect system, but each judge does his or her best to make the punishment fit the crime.

A felony is a serious crime. More harmful or impactful to society than a misdemeanor, a felony is punishable by heavier penalties than minor crimes. Committing a felony in the United States not only leads to immediate consequences, but leaves a long-term stain on the individual’s record as well, a fact that can prevent the individual from obtaining quality employment, for example. Felonies are divided into two major categories: violent and non-violent crimes. A person who is convicted of committing a felony is referred to as a felon. Technically, the federal definition states that a felony is a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in excess of one year. Misdemeanors are punishable by a year or less in jail. While these statements may seem clear enough, each state varies in how it interprets these definitions, looking at the seriousness of the crime or the context of the crime. Thus, each state has its own system for classifying felony crimes. In New York, felonies are classified by the letter, sometimes including subcategories identified by Roman numerals. For example, class A-I would be the most serious of all felony crimes. In Virginia, felonies are categorized by number with Class 1 being the most severe and Class 6 the least. Felony crimes are classified into categories including:  Rape, murder, robbery, arson, assault and/or battery, burglary, kidnapping, drug crimes (manufacture, possession, sale, distribution, or possession with intent to distribute), grand larceny or grand theft, and vandalism. In all states, felony crimes are taken very seriously and while the punishments may vary, they are nonetheless consequences that fit the severity of the crime.

In Utah, felonies are divided by “degrees” of seriousness. There are four categories of felonies in the state. Each category comes with an associated range of jail time and fines, up to the potential for capital punishment. Starting with the least serious felonies, 3rd degree felonies include practicing medicine without a license, theft, domestic crimes and forgery. These crimes are punishable by up to 5 years in prison and $5,000 in fines. 2nd degree felonies include burglary and robbery, grand theft, white collar crimes, aggravated crimes, Utah felony DUI (defined by circumstances and repeat offense), sexual crimes, and enticement of a minor with intent to commit a 1st degree offense (trying to lure a child with intent to kidnap). These crimes will earn the convicted offender 1 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. In the category of 1st degree felonies, the more serious drug crimes are included. In addition, kidnapping, manslaughter, and murder are all considered 1st degree felonies. These crimes are punishable in Utah with a fine of up to $10,000 and a prison term of up to 50 years. Finally, the most serious offenses in Utah are termed Capital Felonies. This category includes rape, kidnapping, aggravated murder, and arson. In this way, a serial rapist, for example, can be taken off the streets with one of three options: a prison term from twenty years to life, life imprisonment without possibility of parole, or death. All of these consequences are weighed by the judge overseeing the case, in an attempt to make the punishment fit the crime.

There are dozens of felony crimes identified by the United States Government, both violent and non-violent. Felonies are serious crimes, considered more impactful to public safety than minor crimes, called misdemeanors and petty crimes. 20 felony crimes are identified by the Uniform Crime Reports as the most common. #1) Drug abuse violations are exceptionally common, often the most common felony offense, with about 2,000,000 violations annually. #2) Property crimes include auto theft, burglary, larceny, arson, and theft. #3) Driving while intoxicated is so common that every one of the states spends an incredible amount of law enforcement time and expense on preventing and catching DUI offenders. #4) Larceny (theft), under the category of property crimes, is by itself one of the most common felony crimes in the U.S. #5) Assault is, tragically, tremendously common, with well over 1,000,000 offenses each year. #6) Disorderly conduct is a category that includes various crimes that pose a risk to society. #7) Liquor laws that limit the sales of alcohol, such as sales to minors, are broken regularly across all of the states. #8) Violent crime is another category including manslaughter, murder, robbery, assault, and forcible rape. #9) Public drunkenness is still considered a crime and is rather common. #10), #11), and #12) consecutively are the individual crimes from the violent crime category, namely: aggravated assault, burglary, and vandalism. Each of these holds a spot in the top 20 felony offenses. #13) Due to media raising awareness, most Americans are aware of the commonness of fraud in the business and political arenas. #14) Weapons violations include carrying a concealed weapon, or possessing a gun without a license. #15) Curfew and loitering laws exist in certain areas for different reasons, such as controlling gang activity. #16) Robbery is next in line, which is theft involving direct contact with the victim. #17) Domestic violence and child abuse are sadly pervasive crimes in every city in the U.S. #18) Stolen property violations include being in possession of stolen property, whether or not the possessor is the one who stole the property. #19) Motor vehicle theft is common enough that car alarms are a must-have item in many neighborhoods. #20) Finally, forgery and counterfeiting include writing checks on someone else’s account and printing fake money. Together these 20 most common felony crimes cost taxpayers billions of dollars a year and are the focus of much political debate on prevention and reform.

After alcohol is absorbed and it rushes through the entire bloodstream, it quickly affects the drinker. Even in small doses, alcohol makes an impact on the central nervous system. It causes the central nervous system to slow down and the individual to relax. Inhibitions are reduced increasingly, in accordance with the amount of alcohol consumed. As alcohol readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, it affects all areas of the brain. Vision, response time, judgment, decision-making, muscle movements, and speech are all negatively impacted. The impairment of the central nervous system occurs in relation to the concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream. Thus measures of blood alcohol content are helpful in determining the level of impairment. While the legal limit for driving, in most states, is .08, the American Medical Association, through scientific knowledge and years of research, identify .04 grams per 100 milliliters of blood as the level of impairment following human consumption of alcohol. Different individuals have varying levels of tolerance of alcohol and factors like muscle mass, gender, fatigue, and diet can all impact how alcohol is absorbed. Thus it is important for individuals to take responsibility for knowing their own limits and carefully monitoring the effects of the alcohol they’ve consumed, especially if they plan to drive.

Alcohol is sold in nearly every market, convenience store, and club across America. But most of those who drink alcoholic beverages do not know what alcohol really is and therefore how it works inside the body. Alcohol’s scientific name is ethanol. Ethanol is in a family with other similar organic chemicals like methanol and isopropanol. Alcohol-related chemicals usually end in “itol” or “anol.” For example, sugar alcohols always end in “itol.” Xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol are used in place of sugar, as sugar-free substitutes, in diabetic candies, sugar-free gum, and no-sugar-added ice cream. These sugar alcohols are very hard to digest, so they do not impact the blood sugar. Sugar alcohols may cause some serious indigestion, when consumed in sufficient quantities, but they will not cause intoxication. Ethanol works differently. It is a clear liquid that is both flammable and volatile. Ethanol is soluble in water, meaning it blends readily with water, and is thus mixed in a tremendous variety of tinctures, colors, and flavors. Ethanol is made of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen (C2H50H). Because of its ready absorption in the body and its ability to blend with water, alcohol soaks into not just the blood, but also water-filled tissues like muscle and organs. Studies show that alcohol spreads evenly through the blood, once absorption is complete.

When an individual goes into the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a driver’s license, there is one thing that always happens. Yes, most of the time the individual waits in a long line, forms must be filled out, and pictures are taken. But aside from all of that, there is one thing many people do not realize takes place. When you walk out of the DMV with your temporary license in hand, you have just formed an implied contract with the state. This contract is called “implied consent.” By obtaining your driver’s license you are implying that you consent to submit to testing for alcohol or drugs if requested by an officer. Many people, angered by being pulled over and believing they have more rights than they do, blatantly refuse to be tested. This is a good way to get arrested. When you got your license, you gave up your right to refuse to be tested. Instead, it is important to comply with breathalyzer or other testing requested by the police officer. If an individual refuses to submit to testing, it is usually (and generally accurately) assumed that he or she has something to hide. The natural result of this will be to bring the individual in to force testing after arrest. If a breathalyzer is used or, later, blood is drawn, and alcohol consumption over the legal limit is discovered, the individual faces a double jeopardy with the driver’s license. In criminal court, he or she will face, along with jail time, fines, and other punishments, the potential for license suspension. Whether or not the criminal court suspends the license, the DMV can suspend the license. This is because the DMV suspension counts as a civil matter, while the court suspension is a criminal matter.

There are charts and calculators online that estimate how many alcoholic beverages can be consumed before hitting the legal limit of .08 blood alcohol content. Unfortunately, it is only an estimate. It is not a perfect science, as there are many factors that impact the absorption of alcohol in the body. These charts look at gender. Why is gender important? Men and women absorb alcohol differently in part because women tend to have a higher proportion of body fat than a man of the same weight. Men tend to have more muscle mass. Higher levels of muscle mass slow alcohol absorption, because some of the alcohol goes into the muscles. The charts also factor in weight. Weight is not actually the important factor. It is body mass. Body mass, however, is not a commonly used measurement as it is expensive and time consuming. So, the closest measure available is weight, providing an estimated body mass. However, it is only a best guess. An overweight man who weighs 250 pounds will not be able to drink as much as a weight-lifter who weighs the same. The amount of alcohol in each drink is obviously a factor in determining how many drinks one can consume before reaching the legal limit. A general rule of thumb is one can of beer = one glass of wine = one shot of liquor. Drinking a glass of hard liquor is a good deal more than a single serving. Other factors involved in determining how many drinks it takes to hit the legal limit include length of time and food consumed. Someone who ‘chugs’ their alcoholic beverage will rapidly push the blood alcohol content up. Someone who drinks without food to slow down the absorption will also speed up the process. It is helpful to sip slowly, while eating and talking over a meal.

Blood alcohol content (BAC) is a measure used by doctors, medical examiners, and police officers, to determine an individual’s concentration of alcohol in the blood. A BAC of .30, for example, means that 3/10ths of 1% of someone’s blood volume (.003) is actually alcohol. Alcohol is a substance that travels readily into the bloodstream. Alcohol is actually absorbed through the stomach lining into the system. So its effects are generally more immediate than other drugs that ingested orally. Alcohol also crosses the blood/brain barrier much more readily than other substances. Something about the structure of the ethanol molecule allows it to permeate the entire human body in minutes. In the brain, its effects are powerful. The occipital lobes, located in the back of the brain and responsible for visual perception, are soon bathed with alcohol, after a drink or more, and vision often blurs as a result. The equilibrium, located behind the ears, is thrown off, as the alcohol reaches it as well. This causes a person to struggle with balance and coordination. Thus, the highway patrol’s walk-the-line test is effective in rooting out those who have had too much to drink. The prefrontal lobe, located behind the forehead, is the part of the human brain that makes us who we are. Containing our values, beliefs, aspirations, and wisdom, this part also gets an alcohol bath. Activity in this part of the brain is dulled accordingly, by the alcohol, and people behave impulsively, with reduced “inhibitions,” and at times, do things completely outside their value system. The central nervous system is depressed by the alcohol, which is the most dangerous consideration in BAC, for the individual who is drinking. Usually, an individual will black out before he or she dies of too much of the central nervous system depressant, but at times they do not wake up, dying of alcohol poisoning. The central nervous system controls the lungs, the heartbeat, and thus life itself. When too much alcohol is consumed, an individual can die of respiratory arrest (the lungs stop working), cardiac arrest (the heart stops working), or seizure (the brain stops working). BAC is a measure that can determine if the cause of death was alcohol related, for a medical examiner. It can also determine if someone is a threat on the road, for a police officer. BAC is not a perfect science, but it is the best measure we have to determine how much alcohol an individual has consumed.

Blood alcohol content is a measure of the percentage of alcohol present in the blood, after someone has consumed alcoholic beverages. There are two important mathematical measures involved in what results as the BAC. Beginning with the amount of alcohol contained in different types of beverages, one can of beer (12 ounces) contains 5% alcohol by volume. This translates to 0.6 ounces of alcohol per can. With the lowest concentration of alcohol, ounce per ounce, many people mistakenly believe they can consume large quantities of beer without equaling harder liquor. However, wine is not that far off with 12% alcohol by volume. A typical 5oz (ounce) glass contains the same 0.6oz of alcohol that a 12oz beer has. Thus, one can drink 2.4 times the amount of beer as wine, and get the same amount of alcohol. Hard liquor, as in 80-proof, is a different story. Usually consumed in shot glasses, 80-proof liquor contains the same 0.6oz of alcohol as one glass of wine or one can of beer. Thus 1.5oz of liquor = 5oz. of wine = 12oz. of beer. The second set of mathematics involved in the percentage of alcohol in the blood is related to the person’s total volume of blood. BAC cannot give a total volume of alcohol contained in the person’s body, but instead gives a percentage of how much alcohol is present as a ratio compared to the volume of blood measured. An average 140lb (pound) woman will typically land just under the legal limit of .08 BAC with 2 drinks, bringing her to .07 BAC. A 180lb man will generally hit .07 BAC with 3.5 drinks. That being said, there are certainly variances from person to person and drinking the same amount can cause anywhere from a .06 to a .09 BAC in some people. Knowing the mathematics of blood alcohol content can help a person avoid drinking over the legal driving limit of .08 BAC. Usually, a woman can consume one drink, and a man two drinks, and safely remain under the legal limit.