Like in many countries, treason is the most demonized crime (Samaha, 2012). It is the only crime, expressly addressed in the constitution of the United States. Extreme acts committed against the nation are considered treason. The culprit is called a traitor. As is in most countries since ancient times, death by hanging was the common, most practiced punishment. To date, most countries (including the United States) state death for the traitor. However, most convicts spend life in prison for reasons that include the cases being dragged too long. In ancient Britain, convicts were fastened by rope, to hurdle and drawn by horse to the place where they were chopped and their body parts displayed across the country to scare the rest from attempting the same act. As years pass by, there is less concern and publicity of such cases as there are fewer cases too.
When a servant is disloyal to his master to great extents and performs extreme acts against him for instance kill him or harm one of his kindred in ancient times, was considered a traitor. It was common in Ancient Greek. The penalty was hanging. Over time, crimes against masters and/or employers (since the abolishment of slavery) have been rapidly dropped in the United States of America (Rabassa, 2005).
Direct misconduct or disobedience against the national leader in ancient times, was the highest, most extreme crime one could do against the state. It included for instance, assassinating the king, betraying the nation to another one either by giving up secret information or bringing false information that may cause havoc to the nation.
Treason is the most defined in Article 3 Section 3. Either attempting to start a war with the United States or to aid the enemy to conquer the United States is the highest levels of crime one can commit (Damgaard, 2008). At least two people are required to bear witness to an act of treason before anyone accused can be considered for conviction. Treason may be punishable by death as stated in the constitution. However, the relatives of someone convicted of treason will not hold responsible, implicated or punished in any way by the State. Their safety against die-hard patriotic citizens is, however, not guaranteed. All through time, close relatives of citizens convicted for especially high treason, suffered the consequences not necessarily from the state, but fellow citizens.
References
Damgaard, C. (2008). Individual criminal responsibility for core international crimes: Selected pertinent issues. Berlin: Springer.
Rabassa, G. (2005). If this be treason: Translation and its dyscontents : a memoir. New York, NY: New Directions Book.
Samaha, J. (2012). Criminal procedure. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
