Final answer:
A crime punishable by a fine or imprisonment for less than one year is known as a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors are less severe than felonies, which carry steeper penalties and longer imprisonment terms.
Step-by-step explanation:
A crime punishable by a fine or imprisonment for less than one year is known as a misdemeanor. Crimes such as felonies and misdemeanors are differentiated based on their severity, with felonies being the more serious offenses often carrying penalties of incarceration exceeding one year. Misdemeanors, in contrast, involve less serious crimes and lighter penalties, commonly fines or jail time under a year.
In the context of criminal law misdemeanors are thus considered less severe than felonies. Most charges are resolved prior to trial when a defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge. This strategy helps the defendant avoid being charged with and found guilty of a more serious crime, which would lead to a more severe sentence thus highlighting the significance of the classification between felonies and misdemeanors.