MISPRISION (OK. misprision. inisprison, mistake. from in csprend rc, to mistake, from nos-, from Lat. minus, prendrr, from Lat. dere. preheat/ere. to take). In its general sense. a crime under the degree of a capital offense, hut graver than an ordinary misdemeanor (q.v.). In the early English law it was more frequently employed in a negative or passive sense, to de seribe the omission to perform some important legal duty, as concealment of the treason of others. also applied to certain positive nets in the nature of co1111.111111S against the dignity and peace of the King and his officers. :Misprision of treason was the most serious offense to which the term applied, and consisted in the concealment of any knowledge Which a person might have of treasonable act, or utterances against the King, and did not IleeeSSatily hill/1y that the person was himself otherwise implicated or involNed in the crime. It was formerly punishable with for feiture of goods and imprisonment for life. but by
statute forfeiture of goods has been abolished. and penal servitude for life remains the statutory penalty. .Slisprision of felony is concealment of a felony by one who did not participate in its com mission by act or encouragement. hut who has learned of it in 501111. way. II is still an offense in the English law, hut is rarely prosecuted. The various acts and omissions. other than the :shove. which were formerly included in the rather vague term misprision, have been mostly classified with the (Times With whielt they were associated. under the name of aecessory acts.
The term misprision is seldom employed in the United States except in regard to treason. and by an act of Congress misprision of treason is by it line not exceeding $1000, a nd imprisonment not exeeeding seven years. See ACCESSIltlY: