What is the significance of KRS 500.080(2)?

• A. It sets the penalties for all crimes.
• B. It defines 'crime' as including only felonies.
• C. It defines 'crime' as including misdemeanors and felonies, excluding violations.
• D. It describes the procedure for charging individuals.

Answer: (C)

In Kentucky, the term “crime” is defined to include both felonies and misdemeanors, while violations are treated as a separate, non-criminal category. This distinction is captured in KRS 500.080(2), which sets the scope of what counts as a crime for purposes of the criminal code.

This matters because when a statute uses the word crime, it generally means actions that can incur criminal penalties and are governed by criminal procedures, rights, and sanctions applicable to felonies and misdemeanors. Violations, on the other hand, are typically civil or administrative infractions with different penalties and do not carry the same criminal procedural protections.

So the significance is that KRS 500.080(2) defines crime to include misdemeanors and felonies but exclude violations, making option that describes this definition the best choice. The other statements mischaracterize the statute’s purpose, as it does not set penalties for all crimes or describe charging procedures.