Eli5 What does “aggravated” mean when added to a criminal charge?

Question

What is the difference between assault and aggravated assault? Identity theft and aggravated identity theft?

In: 111

Answer 1

Aggravating factors are any circumstances or facts of a criminal case that raise the length of the sentence or the severity of the crime committed.

Some of the most common aggravating factors include the age of the victim, their mental health, the criminal history of the offender, and whether or not a weapon was used.