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Dimmesdale and Hester

For the Puritan society that was the setting of the book, the sin itself was more of a crime than the lack of confession.  They were both bad, but the sin itself was probably worse.

However, if you look at the book as a whole, I believe the real sin was Dimmesdale's lack of confession:  it bespoke a hypocrisy that was not lost on him, as it eventually killed him.  I do not think it was the crime itself that undid him, but his own cowardice in not confessing.  His lack of confession denied Hester support, Pearl a father, and potentially himself true happiness. 

Remember this book was published in 1850, at the height of American Romanticism. The romantics, like Hawthorne believed in being open and true to yourself. In the last chapter, Hawthorne writes: Among the many morals which press upon us...we put only this into a sentence: " Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!" For Hawthorne, the worst sin was Dimmesdale lack of being true to other people and his hypocrisy in keeping the sin hidden so people would believe he was perfect.

The real crime between Hester and Dimmesdale is not that of committing adultery. The crime, or sin, was committed in the heat of passion; and although each knew what the outcomes and consequences could be still continued in the sin. Because each knew the sinful nature of the act they were participating in, it is a crime or sin of a carnal nature. Yet, Dimmesdale, as the minister of the Puritan community committed the greater sin of a spiritual nature as opposed to Hester. 

Hester was forced to suffer the consequences of her actions; whereas Dimmesdale was able to forego the consequences of his actions for a number of years. Because he refused to own up to his actions, his soul suffered more because of the double life he was forced to play. Each knew what the consequences could bring, but becuase of there ministeral postition Dimmesdale held, he was at a risk for the greater condemnation.