As opposed to a violent felony, non-violent felonies do not impose any physical harm or verbal threat of attack on another whatsoever. Typically, such types of felony charges mainly include property crimes, such as burglary and larceny, and drug crimes, including both trafficking and possession, and usually in large quantities.
So-called "white collar crimes," or corporate offenses, like financial fraud and embezzlement, bribery, identity theft, and forgery, are also fairly common amongst non-violent offenses which lead to felony convictions. While each State will ultimately have its own set of laws defining types of non-violent crime, some other common activity that an individual might receive a felony charge for, based on the severity of the crime, includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
Tampering with a witness
Promoting prostitution or gambling
Computer tampering
Criminal facilitation or solicitation
Sale of a firearm to an underaged individual
Trademark counterfeiting
Criminal possession of stolen property
Use of a child in a sexual performance
Cemetery desecration
Criminal interference with religious worship
Tampering with a sports contest
Female genital mutilation
Placing a false bomb
Tampering with physical evidence
Criminal use of secret scientific material
Partaking in a riot
Forgery of a vehicle ID number
Vehicular assault
Blackmail
Cellular phone fraud
Although the assumption associated with a non-violent felony conviction may be that it is not as serious as a crime that involves violence, this is not the case in the least. In fact, some of the most serious of non-violent types of felony convictions can often hold prison sentences and fines just as severe as an assault felony conviction, and what is probably the most damaging consequence is that the stigma attached to life after prison is just as equal. In fact, roughly half of inmates in State-run prisons are serving sentences for a non-violent felony convictions, nearly half of which are there for a drug-related felony charge.
Regardless of the crime committed, once these men and women complete their prison terms, a felony conviction will remain on their criminal record for some time until it has the possibility of becoming expunged. Every State will have different laws pertaining to this issue. Until that time comes, however, those individuals will have to face the consequences of a felony charge in society, and the amount of jobs available, voting rights, and freedoms will all be limited.
