A regular citizen who reports seeing a crime isn't a "snitch" or a "rat" The criminals were just sloppy Snitches and rats are not the same thing Let me break it down to make sure y'all see what I mean A "snitch" is someone minding other folks' business To find information they can sell for a price or trade for some other form of compensation A "rat" is a traitor, a conceiver, planner or physical participator He doesn't sell secrets for power or cash He betrays the trust of his team or his family hoping to save his own cowardly ass The difference is, at least a snitch is human, but a rat is a fuckin' rat, period