A crime is an act committed or omitted, in violation of a public law, either forbidding or commanding lt; a breach or violation of some public right or duty due to a whole community, considered as a community in its social aggregate capacity, as distinguished from a civil Injury, wilkins v. U. S., 96 Fed. 837, 37 C. C. A. 588; Pound-er v. Ashe. 36 Neb. 564, 54 N. W. 847; State v. Bishop, 7 Conn. 185; In re Bergin, 31 wis. 386; State v. Brazier, 37 ohio St. 78; Peo-pie v. williams, 24 Mich. 163, 9 Am. Rep. 119; In re Clnrk, 9 wend. (N. Y.) 212. "Crime” and “misdemeanor,” projierly speak-ing, are synonymous terms; though in com-mon usage "crime” is made to denote such offenses as are of a deeper and more atrocious dye. 4 Bl. Comm. 5
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
