Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) BA State Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is a common characteristic of a disorderly conduct charge?

1. Violent behavior

2. Creating a public disturbance

3. Theft of personal property

4. Personification of a criminal

The correct answer is: Creating a public disturbance

A common characteristic of a disorderly conduct charge is creating a public disturbance. This offense typically involves actions that disrupt the peace, cause alarm, or provoke others in a public setting, rather than involving violence or criminal intent toward property. Disorderly conduct can encompass a wide range of behaviors, such as loud arguing, fighting, or engaging in disorderly or annoying behavior in areas where the public has the right to be free from disturbances. In this context, other options do not align with the primary intent of disorderly conduct. For instance, violent behavior is more closely associated with assault or similar charges than with disorderly conduct specifically. Theft of personal property falls under larceny or theft statutes rather than disorderly conduct. Personification of a criminal, which is more abstract and not directly related to public behavior, also does not fit the common definitions associated with disorderly conduct. Thus, creating a public disturbance accurately reflects the essence of that charge.