felonized
Turned into crime
Felonized describes something that has been made into a felony offense, or someone who has been charged with or convicted of a felony.
The term often appears in discussions of criminal justice reform, where critics argue that certain behaviors have been unnecessarily felonized, turning minor infractions into serious crimes.
Possession of small amounts of marijuana was felonized in the 1980s.
A felonized individual faces lasting consequences including restricted voting rights and limited employment opportunities.
Make punishable by law
- criminalizationMaking conduct unlawful
- prosecuteBring criminal charges
- chargeCost or accusation
- indictFormally charge with crime
convict · outlaw · ban · prohibit · illegalize · reclassify · upgrade · enhance
Mark of dishonor
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- marginalizationRelegation to powerless periphery
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
scarlet letter · second-class citizen · disenfranchised · unemployable · housing discrimination · social exclusion · ostracism · shame
Confinement in jail
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- prisonConfinement for offenders
jail · correctional · confinement · detention · probation · parole · custody · lockup
Formal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- arraignFormally charge in court
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- convictionFirmly held belief
defendant · plea · guilty · trial · courtroom · judge · jury · verdict
criminalize
Make punishable by law
- criminalizationMaking conduct unlawful
- prosecuteBring criminal charges
- chargeCost or accusation
indict · convict · outlaw · ban · prohibit · illegalize · reclassify · upgrade · enhance · downgrade
stigma
Mark of dishonor
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- marginalizationRelegation to powerless periphery
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
branding · scarlet letter · second-class citizen · disenfranchised · unemployable · housing discrimination · social exclusion · ostracism · shame · disgrace
incarceration
Confinement in jail
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
prison · jail · correctional · confinement · detention · probation · parole · custody · lockup · mandatory minimum
indictment
Formal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- arraignFormally charge in court
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
conviction · defendant · plea · guilty · trial · courtroom · judge · jury · verdict · sentencing
felonizeddecriminalized
Made no longer a crime
legalized · permitted · sanctioned · tolerated · authorized