What are hidden crimes?

Asked by: Prof. Darlene Murazik III  |  Last update: February 8, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (16 votes)

Hidden crimes, also known as the "dark figure of crime," refer to offenses that are not reported to or recorded by law enforcement, remaining invisible in official statistics, and often involve abuse, fraud, human trafficking, or offenses where victims fear reporting due to stigma, distrust, or coercion. They challenge the accuracy of crime data because they represent a significant portion of actual criminal activity, including workplace safety violations, financial scams, domestic violence, and exploitation, making them hard to combat effectively.

What does "hidden crime" mean?

Hidden crimes: The dark figure of crime includes all offenses that go unreported or unrecorded, meaning they never appear in official crime statistics. This makes it difficult to know the true extent of criminal activity in society.

What is an undiscovered crime?

First coined by Belgian sociologist and criminologist Adolphe Quetelet in the 19th century, the dark figure of crime, hidden figure of crime, or latent criminality is the amount of unreported, undetected, or undiscovered crime, and is a central concept of victimology, highlighting the limitations of solely relying upon ...

What are the 8 focus crimes?

"8 focus crimes" typically refers to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program's Part I offenses in the U.S. (murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft, vehicle theft, arson) or, in the Philippines, the Philippine National Police (PNP) list (murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of vehicles/motorcycles). These lists cover serious, frequent crimes that law enforcement tracks closely, though the specific categories differ slightly between systems.
 

What are the 5 types of crimes?

Five common types of crime include Violent Crimes, Property Crimes, White-Collar Crimes, Organized Crime, and Public Order Crimes, though categories can overlap, encompassing offenses like homicide (violent), burglary (property), fraud (white-collar), drug trafficking (organized/public order), and cybercrimes (cross-category).
 

Hidden Crimes (Thriller) Behind bars, the truth is the deadliest crime | Full Movie

15 related questions found

What are the 7 types of crimes?

Primary Crimes

  • MURDER AND NON NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER. The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.
  • NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER. The killing of another person through gross negligence.
  • AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. ...
  • ARSON. ...
  • BURGLARY. ...
  • ROBBERY. ...
  • MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT.

What are 19 crimes?

19 Crimes, released in 2012 and housed by Melbourne-based Treasury Wine Estates, refers to the number of crimes used to exile convicts from Britain to Australia between 1787 and 1868.

What are the top 10 most common crimes?

The top 10 most common crimes in the U.S. are led by property crimes like larceny-theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft, followed by violent offenses such as aggravated assault and robbery, with other frequent offenses including drug offenses, DUI/DWI, fraud, vandalism/criminal damage, and domestic violence, with property crimes vastly outnumbering violent ones. 

What are the four core crimes?

ICL outlines four main categories of international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

What are the 12 causes of crime?

Causes of crime

  • Poverty.
  • Peer Pressure.
  • Drugs.
  • Politics.
  • Religion.
  • Background.
  • Society.
  • Unemployment.

What is dark crime?

The dark figure of crime refers to all crimes that are not recorded in official statistics. This happens for various reasons. Sometimes, the criminals do not realize that they are committing a crime, and there is not a witness to the crime, so no one reports it.

What's the hardest crime to prove?

A: Crimes against minors, white collar crimes, and first-degree murder are sometimes the hardest cases to defend. Due to the intricacy of the evidence, emotional prejudice, public opinion, and the seriousness of the possible penalties, these cases pose substantial obstacles.

What's the least bad crime?

Infractions, which can also be called violations, are the least serious crimes and include minor offenses such as jaywalking and motor vehicle offenses that result in a simple traffic ticket. Infractions are generally punishable by a fine or alternative sentencing such as traffic school.

What's the most uncommon crime?

Unusual Crimes You've Never Heard Of

  • Prize Fighting. Did you know prize fighting is illegal? ...
  • Possession of a thing used to play an unlawful game. ...
  • Setting mantraps. ...
  • Interfering with marine signals. ...
  • Obstructing railways. ...
  • Duelling. ...
  • like more information regarding unusual crimes.

What are some invisible punishments?

These "invisible punishments" are present in a variety of laws passed by Federal and State legislators. Under these laws, offenders can be denied public housing; welfare benefits; the mobility necessary to access jobs that require driving; and in the case of deportation, the opportunity to become an American citizen.

What is a dark figure of crime?

The massive number of crimes not reported to or detected by criminal justice agencies (the 'dark figures' of crime) are not reflected in official statistics, but they have implications for how crime, criminals, and the effectiveness of criminal justice policy are viewed.

Is killing medics a war crime?

Medics are protected by the Geneva Conventions. This means that anyone who purposefully attacks or kills a medic clearly wearing medical clothing and has no weapon in their hand commits a war crime.

What are the seven types of crimes?

  • One. Visible Crime.
  • Two. Crimes without victims.
  • Three. Political.
  • Four. Occupational.
  • Five. Organzied.
  • Six. Transnational.
  • Seven. Cyber crime.

What is a level 4 crime?

So, exactly what is a 4th Degree felony then? In states who apply this category of crimes, it is the least serious type of felony offense that a defendant can be charged with and is one step above the most serious level of misdemeanor offenses.

Which state is #1 in crime?

Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while Louisiana frequently tops lists for overall danger or homicide rates, though figures vary slightly by source and specific metrics (violent vs. property crime) for 2024/2025 data. 

What are the 8 major crimes?

The selected offenses are 1) Murder and Nonnegligent Manslaughter, 2) Forcible Rape, 3) Robbery, 4) Aggravated Assault, 5) Burglary, 6) Larceny-Theft, 7) Motor Vehicle Theft, and 8) Arson. These are serious crimes by nature and/or volume.

What is the most reported type of crime?

Various estimates have been provided in relation to under-reporting of crimes across the world. According to the American Medical Association (1995), sexual violence, and rape in particular, is considered the most under-reported violent crime.

What crimes exist?

Crimes are categorized in many ways, but generally fall into violent crimes (assault, murder), property crimes (theft, burglary, arson), white-collar crimes (fraud, embezzlement), cybercrimes, drug crimes, and organized crimes, alongside classifications by severity like felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions, or by the victim (e.g., hate crimes, child abuse). These categories often overlap, focusing on the act, the target, or the perpetrator's motivation. 

What is the 20 minute wine rule?

The 20-minute wine rule is a simple guideline for serving wine at its best temperature: take white wines out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to let them warm slightly and reveal flavors, while putting red wines in the fridge for 20 minutes to cool them down from room temperature, which often mutes complex notes, enhancing both. This technique prevents reds from tasting "hot" or jammy and stops whites from being too cold, which suppresses aromas, allowing you to taste the intended complexity. 

Is 19 Crimes sweet?

This red blend is a sweeter spin on the familiar Cali Red recipe, with a rich mix of dark fruit and warm spices. Vanilla and floral notes give a delectable finish. 19 Crimes is defiant by nature, bold in character, and always uncompromising.