Legal abbreviations, especially criminal charges, can come in handy. Not only are they used on rap sheets but also by companies doing background checks. Knowing what each different criminal charge abbreviation means can be important, especially when it comes to felonies and misdemeanors. To keep your head above water, learn the common criminal charge abbreviations for adults and juveniles.
Alcohol & Drug-Related Criminal Abbreviations
Did you get a drunk and disorderly charge? Are you trying to find out what DA means on your employee's background check? There are dozens of different criminal charge abbreviations that are related to drugs and alcohol. Here are a few of the more common criminal charges that you might see on a rap sheet.
- CAID - Criminal activity in drugs
- CONT DA - Controlled dangerous substance
- CPCS - Criminal possession of a controlled substance
- D&D - Drunk and disorderly
- DA - Drug abuse
- DCI - Driving car intoxicated
- DIP - Drunk in public
- NARC - Narcotics
- OAWI - Operating auto while intoxicated
- OWI - Operating while intoxicated
- PUB INTOX - Public intoxication
- PUB NUIS - Public nuisance
Common Juvenile Criminal Charge Abbreviations
Children and teens are all about pushing limits. And they can sometimes push limits a bit too far. Explore the common criminal charge abbreviations used with juveniles.
- CDTP - Criminal damage to property
- CTTL - Criminal trespass to land
- CTTR - Criminal trespass to residence
- CTTSL - Criminal trespass to State land
- CTTV - Criminal trespass to vehicle
- D/C - Disorderly conduct
- DAOPW - Drinking alcohol on the public way
- DCS - Delivery of a controlled substance
- DSL - Driving on a suspended license
- DR W/O PRMT - Driving without permit
- JD - Juvenile delinquency
- Man/Del - Manufacturing and delivery
- MIP - Minor in possession
- OP - Order of protection
- P. CAN - Possession of cannabis
- PCS - Possession of a controlled substance
- PCS w/Int - Possession with intent to deliver
- R/T, Ret. - Theft retail
- SOL - Solicitation
- S/R - Soliciting rides
- SUB - Soliciting unlawful business
- TRU - Truancy
- VOP - Violation of probation
Harm Criminal Charges Abbreviations
Knowing the difference between involuntary manslaughter and voluntary murder criminal charges is quite important when looking at new employees. It's also an important distinction that needs to be made by police and prosecutors, as it could mean the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor.
Check out common assault and harm criminal codes that you might encounter in law enforcement.
- A&B - Assault & battery
- A&ROB - Assault & robbery
- AGG A - Aggravated assault
- AWDW - Assault with deadly weapon
- AUTO - H&R - Auto hit and run
- CR to ANI - Cruelty to animals
- CR to CHDN - Cruelty to children
- CRLESS DR - Careless driving
- DIST PEACE - Disturbing the peace
- INVOL MANSL - Involuntary manslaughter
- ISS - Involuntary Servitude and Slavery
- KID - Kidnapping
- MANSL - Manslaughter
- MOL - Molesting
- MUR - Murder
- MUTIL - Mutilating
- NEG - Neglect
- POSS DW - Possession dangerous weapon
- SEX A-V CH - Sexual assault of a child, anal and vaginal
- SH - Shooting
- STAB - Stabbing
- STAB WITH INT KILL - Stabbing with intent to kill
- STAT RAPE - Statutory rape
- THRT - Threat to commit
- VOL MANSL - Voluntary manslaughter
- VOL MUR - Voluntary murder
Larceny & Damage Related Criminal Codes
Theft is also a big one when it comes to criminal charge abbreviations. Whether someone has committed check fraud or grand theft auto, you can find out by checking the larceny criminal codes below.
- ATT RA - Attempted robbery armed
- B&E - Breaking and entering
- BC - Bad Check
- BURG - Burglary
- CC ABUSE/USE - Credit card abuse
- CPSP - Criminal possession of stolen property
- DEF OR DEST PERS PROP - Defacing or destroying personal property
- DEF OR DEST PUB PROP - Defacing or destroying public property
- DEFR - Defrauding
- DMG PROP - Damaging Property
- EMBZ - Embezzlement
- EV TAX L - Evasion of tax law
- FORG - Forgery
- GL - Grand larceny
- GRD THFT or GT(A) - Grand theft (auto)
- LARC (or L) - Larceny
- PASS BAD CHKS - Passing bad checks
- PASS CTFT CURR - Passing counterfeit currency
- PP - Pickpocket
- PT - Petty theft
- SHPLFTG - Shoplifting
- SMUG - Smuggling
- STLN PROP - Stolen property
- T - Theft
- T/O 200 - Theft over $200
Other Common Criminal Charge Abbreviations
There are a lot of different crimes out there that happen in federal and district courts. That means that they don’t all fit neatly into a category. Below you'll find other common criminal abbreviations that you might encounter.
- ABNDN - Abandonment
- DISCH FIREARMS - Discharging firearms
- DIST PEACE - Disturbing the peace
- IMP OFC - Impersonating an officer
- IND COND - Indecent conduct
- LOIT - Loitering
- LV ACC - Leaving the scene of an accident
- MISD - Misdemeanor charge
- OOJ - Obstruction of justice
- PAND - Pandering
- PANH - Panhandling
- PERJ - Perjury
- POSS - Possession
- PROS - Prostitution
- PV - Parole violator
- RECK DR - Reckless driving
- RESIST ARR - Resisting arrest
- TAMP - Tampering
- VAG - Vagrancy
- VIO CSA - Violating Controlled Substance Act
- VIO IMMI L - Violation Immigration Law
It’s All About the Penal Code
When it comes to crimes, there are a lot of them. And some are quite unusual. Trying to write that all out on a rap sheet would be a nightmare. Thankfully, criminal charges have simple and easy to use abbreviations. Since criminal charge abbreviations were interesting, you might to check out abbreviations for common words in cases too.