Felony Crimes

States generally classify crimes, on the basis of blameworthiness, as either felony crimes, or misdemeanors. The determinant is usually the gravity of the criminal act, which in turn determines the severity of the penalty imposed. Generally, a felony is a crime that is punishable by death or by imprisonment in a state prison for a year or longer. Sometimes felonies are divided into capital crimes (punishable by death or imprisonment) and noncapital crimes (punishable by imprisonment only). Statutes may declare that a certain crime, such as robbery, is a felony. If the statute is silent as to the gravity of the crime, but incarceration in a state prison is the prescribed punishment, the crime is a felony. For a further discussion of the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor, see http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/criminal-overview/felony-vs-misdemeanor.html