Explain the difference between a crime and a tort. List the major classifications of crimes.

A crime differs from a tort in that a crime is an offense against society as a whole. Also, criminal defendants are prosecuted by a public official on behalf of the state-not by their victims or other private parties as they would be under the tort law. A third difference is that those who have committed crimes are subject to penalties-including fines, imprisonment, and, in some cases, death-to punish the wrongdoer in an attempt to deter others from similar actions. Tort remedies are generally intended to compensate the injured party by awarding money damages. A fourth factor distinguishing criminal law from tort law is that criminal law is primarily statutory law, whereas tort law is based primarily on common law. A fifth factor is the higher standard of proof required in criminal cases. In a civil case, the plaintiff usually must prove his or her case by a preponderance of the evidence. In a criminal case, the state must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. A final factor that distinguishes criminal law from tort law is the fact that a criminal act does not necessarily involve a victim, in the sense that the act directly and physically harms another.
The major classifications of crime are felonies, misdemeanors, and petty offenses (or infractions).