This is a bad example, because whether something is a crime is, in fact, fully determined by whether “we” (in the sense of “we, as a society, expressing our will through legislation, etc.”) decide to label it a ‘crime’.
I think it’s still a good example, perhaps because of what you pointed out. It seems pretty clear to me that there’s a sometimes significant difference between the legal and colloquial meanings of ‘crime’ and even bigger differences for ‘criminal’.
There are many legal ‘crimes’ that most people would not describe as such and vice versa. “It’s a crime!” is inevitably ambiguous.
I think it’s still a good example, perhaps because of what you pointed out. It seems pretty clear to me that there’s a sometimes significant difference between the legal and colloquial meanings of ‘crime’ and even bigger differences for ‘criminal’.
There are many legal ‘crimes’ that most people would not describe as such and vice versa. “It’s a crime!” is inevitably ambiguous.