Under Rule 609, which type of crimes are typically included for impeachment?

• A. Crimes involving dishonesty or false statements.
• B. Traffic offenses only.
• C. Violent crimes only.
• D. Juvenile adjudications.

Answer: (A)

Impeachment evidence under Rule 609 centers on how a prior conviction reflects a witness’s credibility. Crimes that involve dishonesty or making false statements are the typical type admitted because they directly bear on whether a person tells the truth. This direct link to honesty makes such offenses highly probative for testing a witness’s credibility, so they are usually admissible for impeachment, subject to limits like balancing probative value against prejudice and any time-related or jurisdictional restrictions.

In contrast, offenses that don’t involve deceit—such as many traffic violations or certain violent crimes—don’t inherently speak to honesty and are not routinely admitted for impeachment unless they carry additional relevance or fit a specific exception. Juvenile adjudications are generally not admissible to impeach, reflecting policy considerations about rehabilitation and the different nature of juvenile proceedings.