What is a "victimless crime"? Give an example of one?

Answer 1

Drug prohibition
Seat belt laws
Motorcycle/bike helmet laws
Bans on bungee jumping (or similar activities)
Suicide and assisted suicide prohibition (you are making the choice for yourself and not hurting others...it is listed as a victimless crime)
Loitering laws
Prostitution, or other consensual (with person being of legal age of course) sex crimes

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Coming from a Libertarian's perspective, something that should probably not be illegal. Example, drug use, drug possession, prostitution, any type of business transaction where all parties consent, selling anything without a permit, seatbelt laws. Also, most people don't list this example but it's something I personally believe is a victimless crime: Conceal carry, open carry, or just carrying a firearm in general in a safe manner. Some places/states make it crime just to possess a firearm, at least in public.

Answer 4

In common usage, victimless crime refers to behavior that is illegal but does not violate or threaten the rights of anyone and may be associated with the implication that the behavior should therefore not be illegal.
In criminology, victimless crime is now termed public order crime.
In the law, case law has developed to discuss what used to be termed "victimless" crime: see Public order crime case law in the United States

Answer 5

being arrested for drug use.

Actually suicide or assisted suicide would not be victimless crimes; if someone dies, there is a victim. Also, with drugs: if a drug dealer sells tainted drugs and someone dies; again, there is a victim.

Again, with prostitution, while on one hand I agree that in most cases there is not a victim, but what if a disease is passed along, there may be several victims. Lets say, for instance, a husband, while on a trip, seeks the services of a prostitute. Lets further say he catches aids. He will not know of this, go home and sleep with his wife, they both are victims, the children and other family members are victims.

Answer 6

We recently had a guy holdup our local
gas station.
He gave the clerk a fifty for cigarettes.
She took the fifty and went to the stock
room to try and find the right brand.
He took the cash drawer and drove off.

It was later disclosed that the cash drawer
only contained $30.

That has to be classified as a victimless
crime.

Answer 7

Prostitution.

I'll never understand why it is legal to pay someone to give me a massage, but if I want to be very specific and have a specific body part of mine massaged by a specific body part of someone else, it becomes a felony.

Prostitution is no more than the combination of a sex act and a free market transaction. I'm quite fond of both, and see nothing to object to when they unite.

Answer 8

Personal drug use
Prostitution
Vehicle violations
Curfew
Loitering
Crimes concerning certain consensual sexual activity

Basically, any activity which does not physically harm a person or property, or to which was in fact consented, and is currently illegal if based on statutory laws.