criminality
State of lawbreaking
Criminality is the quality or state of being criminal—involvement in illegal activity or the tendency toward it.
The word often implies a pattern rather than a single act: The neighborhood struggled with poverty and criminality.
It can also describe something's illegal nature: The criminality of the scheme was obvious to investigators.
Serious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- burglaryIllegal entry to commit crime
- robberyTheft through intimidation
- arsonCriminal deliberate burning
assault · larceny · vandalism · kidnapping · trespassing · shoplifting · smuggling · counterfeiting
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- graftIllicit political gain
- extortionObtaining through threats
racketeering · money laundering · collusion · cronyism · nepotism · patronage · influence peddling · profiteering
Pursuing legal charges
- defendantParty facing charges
- verdictOfficial court decision
- convictionFirmly held belief
- sentencingImposing legal punishment
trial · acquittal · arraignment · indictment · testimony · evidence · plea bargain · parole
Prohibited by law
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
- unlawfulForbidden by statute
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- black-marketIllicit trading network
bootleg · under-the-table · unlicensed · clandestine · trafficking · smuggling · underground · vice
Dishonest money-making scheme
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- conArgument against
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
forgery · phishing · identity theft · counterfeit · falsification · imposture · pyramid scheme · Ponzi scheme
Disorder from absent authority
- terrorismIntimidation through targeted violence
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
- warlordMilitary ruler by force
- lawlessnessAbsence of governing rules
gang warfare · vigilantism · civil unrest · failed state · narco-state · turf war · protection racket · no-go zone
Formal examination of facts
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- arrestSeize by law
prosecution · interrogation · manhunt · sting operation · informant · fingerprint · stakeout · wiretap
felony
Serious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- burglaryIllegal entry to commit crime
- robberyTheft through intimidation
arson · assault · larceny · vandalism · kidnapping · trespassing · shoplifting · smuggling · counterfeiting · poaching
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- graftIllicit political gain
extortion · racketeering · money laundering · collusion · cronyism · nepotism · patronage · influence peddling · profiteering · blackmail
prosecution
Pursuing legal charges
- defendantParty facing charges
- verdictOfficial court decision
- convictionFirmly held belief
sentencing · trial · acquittal · arraignment · indictment · testimony · evidence · plea bargain · parole · probation
illicit
Prohibited by law
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
- unlawfulForbidden by statute
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
black-market · bootleg · under-the-table · unlicensed · clandestine · trafficking · smuggling · underground · vice · racket
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
hoax · forgery · phishing · identity theft · counterfeit · falsification · imposture · pyramid scheme · Ponzi scheme · grift
anarchy
Disorder from absent authority
- terrorismIntimidation through targeted violence
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
- warlordMilitary ruler by force
lawlessness · gang warfare · vigilantism · civil unrest · failed state · narco-state · turf war · protection racket · no-go zone
investigation
Formal examination of facts
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
arrest · prosecution · interrogation · manhunt · sting operation · informant · fingerprint · stakeout · wiretap · raid
- wrongdoingmisconduct, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior, transgression
- lawlessnessanarchy, chaos, disorder, lawbreaking, wrongdoing
- antisocialantisocial personality, sociopath, psychopath, hostile, unfriendly
- sinsgreed, lust, gluttony, deadly sin, sloth
- psychopathypsychopathy, sociopathy, lack of empathy, superficial charm, pathological lying
criminalitylawfulness
Conformity to regulations
legality · compliance · legitimacy · obedience · rectitude
criminalityintegrity
Moral soundness and consistency
virtue · righteousness · uprightness · honesty · probity
criminalityinnocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
blamelessness · guiltlessness · faultlessness · clean hands · exoneration
decriminalize, criminalize, decriminalization, criminalized, criminalization, criminalizing, criminalizes, decriminalizing, criminalities