Assault

Abstract

In the dictionary rendition, 'assault' means an attack with blows or weapons, as well as by threats, hostile words, and other ways of menacing. Although 'assault' rightly can refer to all forms of physical, psychological, and verbal aggression, its use in the legal system and by criminologists is more specific. First and foremost, assault is an unlawful action. It is a form of aggression, either real or threatened, either with or without a weapon, that the state or some other legal entity has designated as a violation of the law. Assaults that are illegal are mostly those that cause or were intended to cause bodily harm, plus threats to that effect. Second, there are "gray areas," where aggressive actions may or may not be considered assault by law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies, the perpetrator, or the victim.