What kinds of crimes do not affect persons or property?
<p>A crime is a public offense, so I would think that anything that constitutes a crime has some kind of influence on one or more persons or property, i.e. it changes the public universe in some negative way. </p>

<p>According to a recent CA Criminal Justice exam of mine, "A person may be guilty of a crime even where his or her act has no immediate effect upon the person or property of another." "Immediate" is not further defined. If this is true, what are some examples? </p>

<p>Yes, and sometimes it even makes perfect sense that such an activity would be a crime.</p>

<p>For many crimes, attempting the crime is a crime.  The attempt may have no actual effect on any person or property, but is still illegal.</p>

<p>According to <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/1538" rel="nofollow noreferrer">16 U.S. Code § 1538</a>(a)(1)(C) it is illegal to kill an endangered species on the high seas.  A whale in international waters cannot really be considered anyone's "property" (and since it's in international waters there can't even be some weird theory of it being the government's property) but it is still illegal.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/700" rel="nofollow noreferrer">18 U.S. Code § 700</a> purports to prohibit the desecration of a flag, although this was found unconstitutional.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/708" rel="nofollow noreferrer">18 U.S. Code § 708</a> makes it a crime to commercially use the coat of arms of the Swiss Confederation, for some reason.  And <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/711a" rel="nofollow noreferrer">18 U.S. Code § 711a</a> makes it a crime to use the slogan "Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute" for profit, except as authorized.  (But maybe that sort of thing counts as intellectual property.)</p>

<p><a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/342" rel="nofollow noreferrer">18 U.S. Code § 342</a> makes it a crime to operate a passenger train under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  This really only affects people and property if the train is driven improperly as a result; if you make it safely, you'd probably never even know.  But the driver would still be facing up to 15 years in prison if he was caught doing that.</p>

<p>And finally, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/CrimeADay/status/951268565998559234" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A Crime a Day</a> on Twitter:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>33 USC §1232(b), 33 CFR §401.101 &amp; §401.94(a) make it a federal crime to violate the St. Lawrence Seaway regulations by not having a copy of the St. Lawrence Seaway regulations while you pass through the St. Lawrence Seaway.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Cultivating illicit drugs for personal consumption.</p>

<p>Related questions:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/q/11684/10">Victimless crimes</a></li>
<li>"<a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/q/20068/10">Thought crimes</a>" ... "<a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/q/9044/10">Illegal numbers</a>"</li>
</ul>

<p>Examples of U.S. crimes that have no direct or immediate effect on other persons or property:</p>

<ol>
<li>Operating a motor vehicle in public with an <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/a/6730/10">open container of alcohol</a> <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/a/14807/10">inside</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://emptormaven.com/2014/04/nfa-pistols-pdws-aows-sbrs/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Attaching a vertical grip to a pistol</a>.</li>
</ol>

criminal-law california