Which term is a broad category of weapons not designed to kill or cause great bodily harm?

• A. Intent
• B. Less-lethal weapons
• C. Malfunction
• D. Intermediate weapons

Answer: (B)

A broad category of tools designed to incapacitate or deter without the explicit aim of killing or causing severe injury is a group whose primary purpose is to reduce harm while gaining control. These are less-lethal weapons. The idea behind them is to stop dangerous behavior and gain compliance with a lower risk of fatal outcomes than deadly force, using methods like chemical irritants, electrical devices, impact or projectile munitions, and certain restraining tools. It’s important to recognize that, while not designed to kill, these tools can still cause serious harm in some situations, which is why training emphasizes proportionality, threat assessment, and careful application.

Intention, on the other hand, is about the purpose behind an action rather than a category of tools. Malfunction refers to a failure of a device to operate as intended, not a category of weapons. Intermediate weapons describe a different tier of force that is typically considered between less-lethal and lethal, so it doesn’t capture the broad category described here.