Crimes against persons are crimes that are committed by applying direct physical harm or force to another person.  In the U.S., high priority is given to preventing and punishing offenses committed against persons.

Crimes against persons are generally classified into assaults and injuries.  These can be further divided into fatal offences, sexual offences, and non-fatal non-sexual offences.  Fatal offences include murder and manslaughter.  Non-fatal non-sexual offences include assault or common assault, battery or common battery, wounding or wounding with intent, poisoning, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (and derivative offences), and inflicting grievous bodily harm or causing grievous bodily harm with intent (and derivative offences).  Generally, most sexual offences are offences against a person.  However, for various reasons including sentencing and registration of offenders, sexual crimes are usually categorized separately.