I'm referring to the earliest style of pistols, I don't know much about this particular subject so I hope I'm correct in saying flintlock pistols, but my question is, essentially, did these weapons acquire a similar usage & view by the criminal side of society as firearms today, as tools of intimidation, or did this side of society stick to older weaponry of the day, such as crossbows & swords?
Apologies if this wasn't very clear, if any clarification is needed, please just ask.
Not exactly in answer to your question but on a related, and I think interesting note, one of the very first references we have to pistols is actually a ban on using them because of crimes committed with them. The earliest pistol designs were wheel-lock mechanisms which was invented roughly in the early sixteenth century, near as we can tell. This reference pre-dates any surviving guns which makes it especially interesting since it proves that they existed at a time when we have little other concrete evidence for them.
The reference in question is an order from Emperor Maximilian I of Germany*, mirroring an earlier local order issued in the county of Styria now part of modern Austria, banning the open carrying of pistols. These weapons were staggeringly expensive so this isn't exactly a ban on stopping highway robbers from carrying guns. What seems to be the likely explanation is that nobles, or at least well off citizens, were settling disputes in the pub by pistol fire and Maximilian wanted them to cut that crap out.
*I'm 90% sure it was Maximilian, could have been his successor though, I can double check tomorrow morning if you'd like
Claude Blair (ed.), Pollard's History of Firearms, (Feltham, 1983). has a general account of guns from the era. I can dig around for more on the specific document but I can't remember the article I read that had a full description of it right now.