North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) State Practice Exam

If the victim of human trafficking is an adult, the crime is categorized as which class of felony?

1. Class A

2. Class B

3. Class C

4. Class D

The correct answer is: Class C

When dealing with the crime of human trafficking involving an adult victim, the classification as a Class C felony is based on North Carolina's legal framework. Class C felonies represent serious offenses, but they are not at the highest levels of severity, which are classified as Class A or Class B felonies. The North Carolina General Statutes outline these classifications to distinguish the severity of various crimes and their respective penalties. In the case of human trafficking, while the act itself is egregious, the law identifies adult victims as falling into the Class C category, which acknowledges the crime's serious nature without escalating it to the most severe classifications reserved for particularly heinous actions or circumstances involving children or particularly vulnerable individuals. This nuanced differentiation helps law enforcement, legal professionals, and the judicial system handle cases appropriately according to their severity and impact on victims. Understanding these classifications is crucial for law enforcement officers, as it guides their responses and the legal processes that follow.