In this part of the book, we will transition from talking about the theories of criminology to looking at the crimes themselves. This chapter starts with the most impactful of all crimes, those someone commits against another person. The harm done by these crimes is far reaching, making it easiest to understand why the things we will talk about in this chapter are illegal. These crimes also carry the harshest penalties in the criminal justice system. As we try to understand these crimes, why they happen, and how to prevent them in the future, we dive deep into what specifically was done and why. This is challenging in every crime, but can be especially difficult with crimes against the people including murder, assault, and rape.

This chapter, as in all the chapters in this book, may include triggers for some readers. Please take care of yourself as needed while reading about these crimes and use the resources recommended as appropriate.