Is threatening legal action considered harassment?
A threat is a statement of a person to frighten or intimidate a person or group of people to either harm or cause damage. It is an action prohibited by most Federal and State criminal laws. The threat can also be considered harassment if the threatening person did not go through the civil lawsuit process.
Is it legal to threaten to report a crime?
Among other things, a legal threat may do the following: Constitute extortion, blackmail, or some other crime or tort involving improper threats of harm: for example, it is considered unethical, and in some cases a crime, to threaten to report criminal conduct to the police unless a settlement is reached.
Should I file a police report for a threat to property?
Filing a police report for a threat may assist in recovering costs associated with damage to your property. Authorities may be able to use the report as evidence in civil lawsuits against the person who made the threat and inflicted the damage to the property.
What should I do if someone threatens me with a threat?
Filing a police report may help alleviate the threat’s potential to inflict trauma, economic loss and physical injury. If the circumstances of the threat warrant investigation, the police may speak with the person or persons making the threat.
Why are some people reluctant to report threats?
Many individuals are reluctant to file official reports of threats to the authorities for various reasons. They may feel intimidated by law enforcement or they may believe that threats by themselves aren’t serious enough to report to the police.
What happens if a suspect makes similar threats in the past?
If the local law enforcement agency knows that the suspect has made similar threats in the past, it is more likely to treat future threats more seriously. As a result, violent crimes may be stopped before they occur and inflict trauma on future victims.