Families and communities are greatly affected in the negative sense when touched by violent crime. Violent crimes, such as assault, not only cause physical harm to victims, but also emotional and social distress which leads to anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and premature death. Crime in neighborhoods can affect the local economy in addition to causing fear that inhibits people from enjoying every day recreational activities, such as walking or biking through the neighborhood.

Every year, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation presents a report on its findings. This is what the report shows regarding assault.

Juvenile assault stats

The majority of arrests among juveniles in Tennessee (27%) in 2019 involved simple assaults. Next in line were violations involving drugs and narcotics (16.01%). There were 3,813 juvenile arrests for simple assault in 2019. That accounts for nearly 19% of all juvenile arrests in the state.

Domestic violence assault stats

As mentioned above, domestic violence offenses include assault by the offender upon the victim in a domestic environment. The participants may include spouses, children, parents, boyfriends and girlfriends, among others. In 2019, 67.5% of all reported domestic violence incidents involved simple assault. Compared to 99 murders reported in domestic relationship incidents in 2018, there were 85 reported in 2019, a 14.1% decrease.

Aggravated assault stats

There were 11,181 adults and 796 juvenile arrests for aggravated assault statewide in 2019. The number of aggravated assault victims dropped by 2.4% from the previous year.

What is simple assault in Tennessee?

In Tennessee, the crime of simple assault involves knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly inflicting bodily harm to another individual, which leads to the following:

• The victim has physical contact with another person that any reasonable person would find extremely offensive or provocative – reference Tenn. Code Ann. §39-13-101, or
• The victim has a reasonable fear of imminent bodily injury

In Tennessee, simple assault is a misdemeanor since it involves a minor bodily injury such as a bruise, scrape, or cut. More serious assaults involve broken bones, loss of limbs, disfigurement that require hospitalization or surgery.

What is domestic assault in Tennessee?

If the offender and the victim of the assault our family or household members, the assault is categorized as a domestic assault. Family members may include spouses, adults related by marriage or blood, former spouses, or persons who currently live together or have lived together, are engaged or were once engaged in a dating or sexual relationship.

What is aggravated assault in Tennessee?

The crime of aggravated assault is a felony in Tennessee with severe penalties. This type of assault involves an attack by the offender upon the victim in which the offender other displays a weapon in a threatening manner or uses the weapon, or an attack from which the victim suffers aggravated or severe bodily harm involving apparent:

• Loss of teeth
• Broken bones
• Severe laceration
• Potential internal injuries
• Loss of consciousness

Also, if the victim of an assault has his/her breathe restricted (e.g., choking) then an assault is elevated to an aggravated assault.  If law enforcement in Tennessee has charged with assault, you need strong representation to ensure your rights are protected and you obtain a strong defense. A Sevierville criminal defense attorney from Delius & McKenzie, PLLC can review your case and plan out an effective defense strategy. To set up a consultation, give us a call today at 865.428.8780 or complete our contact form. We serve clients throughout the state of Tennessee, including in Sevierville, Seymour, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge.