Crimes are sometimes broadly classified or categorized by their nature—such as (1) crimes that are harmful to the victim’s body (assault, battery, rape, and murder) and are known as crimes against the person; and (2) crimes that are harmful to the victim by depriving him of his property or damaging his property and are known as crimes against property (criminal trespassing, burglary, robbery, bribery, blackmail, theft, arson).
In Iowa, crimes are indeed categorized by their nature, aligning with the broader classification of crimes against the person and crimes against property. Crimes against the person, such as assault (Iowa Code § 708.1), battery, sexual abuse (Iowa Code § 709.1), and homicide (Iowa Code § 707.1), focus on offenses that cause physical harm or pose a direct threat to an individual's safety and well-being. On the other hand, crimes against property are offenses that involve the unlawful taking, damaging, or infringement of someone's property rights. These include criminal trespass (Iowa Code § 716.7), burglary (Iowa Code § 713.1), robbery (Iowa Code § 711.1), theft (Iowa Code § 714.1), and arson (Iowa Code § 712.1). The state statutes provide specific definitions, elements of the crime, and penalties for each offense, which can range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the severity of the crime.