Crimes are sometimes broadly classified or categorized by their nature—such as (1) crimes that are harmful to the victim’s body (assault, battery, rape, and murder) and are known as crimes against the person; and (2) crimes that are harmful to the victim by depriving him of his property or damaging his property and are known as crimes against property (criminal trespassing, burglary, robbery, bribery, blackmail, theft, arson).

In Connecticut, crimes are indeed categorized by their nature, aligning with the general classifications mentioned. Crimes against the person, such as assault, battery, rape, and murder, are offenses that cause physical harm or a threat of harm to individuals. These are covered under various statutes in the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS), with each crime having specific elements that must be proven for a conviction. For example, assault in different degrees (CGS § 53a-59 to 53a-61a) and sexual assault (CGS § 53a-70 to 53a-73a) have their own definitions and penalties. On the other hand, crimes against property, such as criminal trespassing, burglary, robbery, theft, and arson, involve the taking of property, illegal entry into property, or damage to property. These are also defined in the CGS, with statutes such as CGS § 53a-101 for burglary, CGS § 53a-133 for robbery, and CGS § 53a-125 for larceny. The severity of the penalties for these crimes varies based on factors such as the degree of the crime, the value of the property involved, and whether any violence or threat was used in the commission of the crime.