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 South Dakota, crimes are indeed categorized by their nature, aligning with the broader legal tradition. Crimes against the person, such as assault, battery, rape, and murder, are offenses that cause physical or psychological harm to individuals. These are covered under South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) Title 22 - Crimes, with specific statutes detailing the elements and penalties for each offense. For example, assault and battery are addressed under SDCL 22-18, while rape and sexual offenses are under SDCL 22-22. Murder and manslaughter are detailed in SDCL 22-16. On the other hand, crimes against property, such as criminal trespassing, burglary, robbery, theft, arson, bribery, and blackmail, involve the deprivation of property or damage to it. These crimes are also found in Title 22, with burglary and criminal trespass under SDCL 22-32, robbery under SDCL 22-30, theft under SDCL 22-30A, and arson under SDCL 22-33. Bribery and related offenses are covered under SDCL 22-12, and blackmail would generally fall under theft by extortion under SDCL 22-30A-3. Each of these statutes defines the crime, sets forth the elements that must be proven for a conviction, and prescribes the penalties, which can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the crime.