# Let's rank all crimes in order of badness **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245 "2008-09-05T23:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/21 "2008-09-05T23:54:28Z")
Not following the rules in the OP Jaywalking Tresspassing Drug possession (enough for personal use only) Theft Battery DUI Kidnapping (real kidnapping. NOT parents who take off with their own kids due to custody battles.) Rape Murder Kidnapping, followed by Rape and Murder Treason ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/22 "2008-09-05T23:54:42Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Treason not resulting in death > DUI resulting in death > Rape > Murder > Treason resulting in death I think any betrayal of one’s country that’s serious enough to be treason has at least the possibility of causing death. By the way, I didn’t mean to imply that changing or deleting crimes from the list is frowned on. I just hope people will try to work with the existing list as far as possible. Merging Cisco’s list into the main list: Minor traffic offenses Drug possession (enough for personal use only) Tresspassing Theft DUI Assault Battery Kidnapping (not of one’s own children) DUI resulting in injury DUI resulting in death Date Rape Stranger Rape Treason resulting in death Murder **MEBuckner** : The game-like format is a mechanism for generating structured discussion. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/23 "2008-09-06T00:03:12Z")
Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Owning, carrying or brandishing a big scary gun Clean, safe drug manufacture Jaywalking Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding DUI Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft Reckless driving DUI causing injury Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder Treason Torture Not following the rules in the OP Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe. In that order. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/24 "2008-09-06T00:05:44Z")
Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Owning, carrying or brandishing a big scary gun Clean, safe drug manufacture Jaywalking Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding DUI Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft Reckless driving DUI causing injury Killing a clown Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder Treason Torture Not following the rules in the OP Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe. In that order. ---
**Author:** ![A\_shameful\_cracka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@A\_shameful\_cracka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_shameful_cracka)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/25 "2008-09-06T00:51:10Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Edit: How is date rape worse than stranger rape? It is a violation of trust. It causes women to not trust those who claim to be friends. On the criminal’s side, I think it’s a worse crime to get to know someone and then rape them, as opposed to raping someone you don’t know - not unlike the difference between premeditated murder and the manslaughter of a stranger in a fight. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/26 "2008-09-06T01:42:21Z")
> [@A\_shameful\_cracka](#): > > It is a violation of trust. It causes women to not trust those who claim to be friends. On the criminal’s side, I think it’s a worse crime to get to know someone and then rape them, as opposed to raping someone you don’t know - not unlike the difference between premeditated murder and the manslaughter of a stranger in a fight. _grabs popcorn_ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/27 "2008-09-06T01:50:57Z")
Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Owning, carrying or brandishing a big scary gun Clean, safe drug manufacture _Not following the rules in the OP_ Jaywalking Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding DUI Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft **Talking loudly in a movie theater (Evening and non-family movie)** Reckless driving DUI causing injury **Killing a Mime (possibly lower)** Killing a clown Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder Treason Torture Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe. In that order. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/28 "2008-09-06T01:54:02Z")
* * * Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Owning, carrying or brandishing a big scary gun Clean, safe drug manufacture Not following the rules in the OP Jaywalking Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding DUI Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft Talking loudly in a movie theater (Evening and non-family movie) Reckless driving DUI causing injury Killing a Mime (possibly lower) Killing a clown Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder Treason Torture Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe. \*\*Posting polls in the Great Debates Forum. \*\* In that order. Moved. [/Modding] ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/29 "2008-09-06T02:08:25Z")
OK, it can go in IMHO if you want. I didn’t intend it to be a poll, though–I’m not just asking each person to post their own list of crimes. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/30 "2008-09-06T02:11:28Z")
> [@A\_shameful\_cracka](#): > > It is a violation of trust. It causes women to not trust those who claim to be friends. On the criminal’s side, I think it’s a worse crime to get to know someone and then rape them, as opposed to raping someone you don’t know - not unlike the difference between premeditated murder and the manslaughter of a stranger in a fight. “Date rape” sometimes is used to refer to any rape that begins with drugging someone’s drink at a bar or party. It doesn’t always imply a close relationship between the parties. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/31 "2008-09-06T02:24:06Z")
Ok Mangetout, how/why is rape worse than child abuse? ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/32 "2008-09-06T02:50:12Z")
> [@WF\_Tomba](#): > > OK, it can go in IMHO if you want. I didn’t intend it to be a poll, though–I’m not just asking each person to post their own list of crimes. You should have added McCain/Obama or any variation to the title and it would have been camouflaged and stayed in GD. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Buttons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Mr\_Buttons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Buttons)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/33 "2008-09-06T03:37:41Z")
Tier 1: Jaywalking, Littering, Drug Possession, Speeding, Public Drunkeness/Underage Drinking Tier 2: DUI, Theft, Fraud, Destruction of Property/Vandalism, Possession w/ intent to deliver illegal drugs Tier 3: Breaking & Entering, Automobile Theft, Grand Larceny, Assault & Battery Tier 4: Rape, Child Molestation, Kidnapping, Date Rape Tier 5: Attempted Murder, Murder Tier 6: Murder of a Minor Tier 7: Genocide/Treason ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/34 "2008-09-06T03:39:58Z")
> [@RyJae](#): > > You should have added McCain/Obama or any variation to the title and it would have been camouflaged and stayed in GD. 🙂 Nah, then we would have just moved it to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/35 "2008-09-06T03:46:38Z")
If you murder a 90 year old is it as bad as murdering a 40 year old. Should they be different crimes? One loses maybe 5 or 10 years. The other maybe 45 or 50. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/36 "2008-09-06T04:05:36Z")
Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Owning, carrying or brandishing a big scary gun Clean, safe drug manufacture Not following the rules in the OP Jaywalking Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding Shouting “Movie!” in a crowded firehouse DUI Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft Talking loudly in a movie theater (Evening and non-family movie) Reckless driving DUI causing injury Killing a Mime (possibly lower) Putting Catsup on a hotdog Killing a clown Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder Treason Torture Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe Reciting one’s own poetry in public ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/37 "2008-09-06T05:16:17Z")
Gees – I worked on this once, for real. It took at least a couple of years to develop, and it is revised almost every year. Here’s the current version [Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines](http://www.msgc.state.mn.us/guidelines/grids/grid_2007.doc) Summarized list is:[ul] [li] \*(Major crimes such as 1st degree Murder, etc., where the Legislature has assigned a mandatory life sentence, are not listed.)[/li][li]Murder, 2nd Degree (intentional murder; drive-by- shootings)[/li][li]Murder, 3rd Degree[/li][li]Murder, 2nd Degree (unintentional murder) [/li][li]Assault, 1st Degree [/li][li]Controlled Substance Crime, 1st Degree[/li][li]Aggravated Robbery, 1st Degree[/li][li]Controlled Substance Crime, 2nd Degree[/li][li]Felony DWI[/li][li]Controlled Substance Crime, 3rd Degree[/li][li]Residential Burglary [/li][li]Simple Robbery[/li][li]Nonresidential Burglary [/li][li]Theft Crimes (Over $5,000)[/li][li]Theft Crimes ($5,000 or less) [/li][li]Check Forgery ($251-$2,500)[/li][li]Sale of Simulated Controlled Substance[/li][li] (Misdemeanor crimes are not included.)[/li][/ul]Also, Criminal Sexual Conduct crimes have their own list. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/38 "2008-09-06T06:04:00Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > If you murder a 90 year old is it as bad as murdering a 40 year old. Should they be different crimes? One loses maybe 5 or 10 years. The other maybe 45 or 50. A 90 year old isn’t expected to live 5 or 10 more years. In fact, the average life expectancy is more like 75, so by murdering a 90 year old you’re actually _giving_ him 15 years. You should get a ribbon! ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/39 "2008-09-06T07:28:46Z")
Owning, carrying a big scary gun with the proper permits Jaywalking Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Clean, safe drug manufacture Putting Catsup on a hotdog Not following the rules in the OP Brandishing a big scary gun (which can, you know, be a real crime and stuff) Shouting “Movie!” in a crowded firehouse Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding Littering DUI Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft Talking loudly in a movie theater (Evening and non-family movie) Talking loudly in a movie theater (Family movie. This teaches kids it’s ok to talk in movies, people!) Reckless driving DUI causing injury Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder (clown, mime, or civilian) Treason Torture Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe Reciting one’s own poetry in public Naming your baby Jazmine, Tiffani, et alia * * * I think littering needs to be on this list, and higher than it placed before being cruelly stricken from the list of crimes. Littering comes with a high cost to the environment and public well-being. Also, because it seems innocuous, it is still somewhat socially acceptable, which makes it more pernicious. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245/40 "2008-09-06T07:40:42Z")
Drug use, possession and sale to clear-thinking adults Owning, carrying or brandishing a big scary gun Clean, safe drug manufacture Not following the rules in the OP Jaywalking Statutory Rape with a willing 17 year old Stepping on a crack and breaking your mother’s back Pirating software, music, etc. Speeding Shouting “Movie!” in a crowded firehouse Trespassing Vandalism Stupid, inattentive driving Theft Talking loudly in a movie theater (Evening and non-family movie) DUI Reckless driving DUI causing injury Killing a Mime (possibly lower) Putting Catsup on a hotdog Killing a clown Assault Date Rape Battery Child abuse Stranger Rape Murder Treason Torture Genocide Intentional destruction of Humanity, Earth, Sun, Galaxy, or Universe Reciting one’s own poetry in public One wonders why people rank torture as worse than murder. You can recover from torture and have a life. You can’t recover from death. It seems to me that causing someone much pain and suffering is still better than erasing the entire existence of a person. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rank-all-crimes-in-order-of-badness/462245.md?page=3)