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50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, April 15, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend March 31, 2004 Since you asked Crime comes in degrees When I read the Emergency Services column in the on-line edition, I see people charged with first-degree this or fourth-degree that (theft, assault, etc.) What is the difference? — Regina H., Eagle Point Thanks for your question, Regina. You remind us hard-boiled Since-You-Askers that not everyone reads the 841-page Criminal Code of Oregon for fun and profit. The short answer to your question, according to venerable Medford Police Lt. Tim George, is that crimes are ranked in Oregon according to seriousness, with first-degree being the most serious and fourth-degree being the least serious. Intervening degrees, of course, are second-degree and third-degree. "Normally we charge someone with the most serious offense we can," George said, noting that the district attorney has the final word on the level charged. That said, it can be illuminating to peruse the state criminal code, which outlines precisely what differentiates one level of a crime from another. Advertisement Take assault, for example. The lowest level is fourth-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor, which occurs when a person "intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes physical injury to another" or "with criminal negligence causes physical injury to another by means of a deadly weapon." That crime can be elevated to a Class C felony if the person previously assaulted the same victim, if the person has previously been convicted of assault or domestic assault, or if the assault occurs in front of minor children. By contrast, the most serious level, first-degree assault is a Class A felony which occurs when someone "intentionally causes serious physical injury to another by means of a deadly or dangerous weapon." Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times