Assault

Assault is the offense of intentionally causing another person to reasonably fear imminent physical harm or unwanted contact, or, in many statutory schemes, of actually inflicting or attempting to inflict such harm, making it one of the most commonly charged violent offenses across virtually every legal system. Its precise legal meaning varies considerably by jurisdiction: some systems use assault to mean only the threat or attempt, reserving a separate offense (battery) for actual physical contact, while others fold both concepts into a single graded assault offense, ranging from simple assault, a minor threat or minor injury, up to aggravated assault, typically involving a weapon, a serious injury, or an assault on a protected category of victim such as a police officer. Aggravating factors that commonly elevate an assault charge include the use of a deadly weapon, the severity of resulting injury, the victim's vulnerability or occupation, and the relationship between the parties, with assault occurring within a domestic or family relationship frequently prosecuted or classified separately as domestic violence. Assault is among the most frequently recorded offenses in criminal justice statistics worldwide and is a central subject of criminological research into interpersonal violence, victimization patterns, and the deterrent and rehabilitative effects of different sentencing approaches.