Felonies are serious crimes that carry harsher penalties than misdemeanors. In California, a felony is defined as a criminal offense that carries a maximum sentence of more than one year in custody. Some common straight felonies in California include murder, rape, and first-degree burglary. In the United States, felonies are generally crimes that have a potential punishment of over a year of incarceration. The most common types of felonies in the United States include drug-related crimes, violent crimes, property crimes, and white-collar crimes. Some examples of felony crimes include manslaughter or murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, grand theft, tax evasion, perjury, copyright infringement, and parole or probation violations.

It is important to note that some crimes can be prosecuted as either misdemeanors or felonies, and this is normally determined by the prosecutor based on both discretion and aggravating factors. Punishments for felonies can include imprisonment for one of three terms, formal probation, fines, supervised release programs, and restitution. A felony conviction can also result in the loss of voting rights, the inability to hold a public office, and the inability to own or possess a firearm or ammunition.