Crime rate unsettled a child (7)
I believe the answer is:
treason
'crime' is the definition.
(I know that treason is a type of crime)
'rate unsettled a child' is the wordplay.
'unsettled' indicates an anagram.
'a child' becomes 'son' (male child).
'rate' with letters rearranged gives 'trea'.
'trea'+'son'='TREASON'
(Other definitions for treason that I've seen before include "LEse-majestE" , "Betrayal of the state" , "Senator (anag)" , "Crime agains one's country" , "Act of betrayal of a government" .)