The Difference Between Federal and State Crimes

Full Video Transcript

Federal crimes are crimes which violate the federal laws. Infractions of federal law include, but are not limited to, drug trafficking, immigration fraud, pirating of music and movies, and mail fraud. Federal crimes are generally investigated by federal government agencies, such as the FBI or DEA. On the other hand, state crimes will be investigated by the local or state police. Federal crimes will be tried in federal courts, and sentencing will follow the federal guidelines, whereas state crimes will be tried in state court with state guidelines. State crimes violate state laws. Each state has its own set of criminal laws, and sometimes a particular criminal act could result in breaking both federal and state laws.