An act or omission forbidden by law and punishable by fine, imprisonment, or even death. Crimes and their penalties are established and defined by state and federal statutes and local ordinances is _____

• A. Offense
• B. Crime
• C. Violation
• D. Infraction

Answer: (B)

A crime is an act or omission forbidden by law and punishable by penalties. This matches the description because it emphasizes that such acts are defined by statutes and local ordinances at different government levels, and that they carry punishments like fines, imprisonment, or even death. The other terms are usually less precise: an offense is a broad label for wrongdoing, but not necessarily tied to a formal criminal penalty defined by law; a violation or infraction typically refers to less serious breaches that may carry lighter penalties and often no imprisonment.