Ordinary Decent Criminal (slang)

Ordinary Decent Criminal is a term used by British police officers to distinguish criminals who are simply bent on engaging in illegal practices for financial or personal ends from those whose goals are terroristic.

It was originally used to distinguish "regular" criminals from the IRA and other paramilitary groups in Ireland, although nowadays the IRA is a relatively minor source of concern for Scotland Yard and other British police.

In Ireland it is also sometimes used to refer to criminals who hold robberies and such while never dabbling in the Drugs trade.

See also