Summary of the content of the Knowledge Clips of the Criminal Law course in the academic year . Includes certain definitions from the Textbook, Comparative Concepts of Criminal Law.
Criminal Law – Notes
Introduction – 3 pillars
1. What is criminal law?
Substantive criminal law
o The law that refers to the body of rules that determine how to behave,
including its ‘criminal liability’ (the law that governs which behaviour is seen
as criminal’
Mala in se (inherent wrongs)
Mala prohibita (minor wrongs) – used as a form of governance to
regulate things such as parking violations or fishing without a licence
(in some countries these are regulated by administrative offences, not
criminal law)
Criminal procedure law
o The law that describes how to enforce substantive criminal law
Rules that regulate (e.g.) investigation, trial, appeal
Who creates criminal law and where to find it?
Criminal law is created by:
o The state / federal legislator
o Lower legislators (municipalities)
o Criminal courts (especially in common law countries)
o Supranational institutions (e.g. European Union)
Main sources of criminal law:
o Criminal Codes
o Case law
o Congress / Acts of Parliament and government
o Treaties and other international or supranational regulations
2. Why do we need criminal law?
Retribution – punishment (intentional infliction of suffering) is a deserved response to
culpable wrongdoing; the defendant should atone (Kant, Hegel, Hugo) (retributive
theory)
Deterrence – criminal laws backed by sanctions deters people from committing crimes
(sanctions as disincentive) (Bentham) (consequentialist or utilitarian theory)
o Prevention – the imprisoned criminal is prevented from committing crimes for
the duration of their sentence as they are locked away from society
Rehabilitation – measures to impact the offender’s life in a positive way (e.g.
education in prison)
3. When can criminal law be used?
, When, in general, can a country hold an individual criminally liable for violating criminal
provisions (inherent or minor wrongs) in any of its courts, subject to compliance with criminal
procedural rules?
a) Conditions of criminal liability
i. No criminal liability without culpable wrongdoing
ii. Five conditions of criminal liability:
1. Act – actus reus, voluntary commission or voluntary omission
2. Causation – the perpetrator caused the consequence (c.s.q.n)
3. Fault – mens rea in a descriptive sense, e.g., direct/indirect intent
4. Wrongdoing – harm in a broader sense; no justification or no
ground for excluding criminal liability, e.g., self defence
5. Blameworthiness – mens rea in a normative sense; no excuses or
no ground for excluding criminal liability – no duress or no
insanity
iii. Framework of criminal liability in a bipartite system (distinguished
between objective and subjective aspects)
1. Material elements (act, causation, wrongdoing)
2. Mental elements (fault and blameworthiness)
iv. Framework of criminal liability in a tripartite system
1. Fulfilment of the offence definition (act, fault and causation)
2. Wrongdoing
3. Blameworthiness
b) Jurisdiction – the power to make rules, to take action and punish, and to hear a
given case
i. Two main heads of jurisdiction
1. Territorial jurisdiction – state has jurisdiction in all crimes
committed on its territory, as well as on its planes and ships
2. Extraterritorial jurisdiction
1. The universality principle – regardless of where it was
committed and the nationality of the offender
a. Usually for crimes against all, e.g. genocide
Double criminality principle – an 2. The nationality principle
action that constitutes a crime in both a. Active nationality principle – link to offender of the
states crime (double criminality required)
b. Passive nationality principle – link to the victim of
the crime (double criminality required)
Criminalization
1. Process of criminalization
a. Behaviors + individuals = crime + criminal
2. Principles of criminalization
, a.
3. Legal functions of the principles of criminalization
a. Legitimising function = provides a rational basis for decision making; the criteria
for criminalization are closely connected to the underlying goals of criminal law
i. E.g., a judge may provide a reason as to why an offender is sentenced (he
needs to be punished / rehabilitated, etc)
b. Legislative function / facilitating function = the principles of criminalization help
the legislator address the interests that should be protected by criminal law; aids
legislators in balancing competing interests
c. Legislative change = helps chart the change in societal values over time
i. E.g. in the past, everything was focused on retribution, whereas now
rehabilitation is more valued
4. Reason for criminalization – to prevent Harmfulness
a. Liberty → Autonomy → Harm → Others → Serious offences
b. You need a certain level of state protection in order to retain your own liberty.
c. You are protected from harm from other people (e.g., murder, rape)
d. Harm principle
i. Exclusionist principle – no harm; no criminalization.
ii. Inclusionist principle – other factors, such as causing offence to others,
way also warrant criminalization (more prominent e.g. harmless
trespassing)
5. Wrongfulness
a. Morality → Censure → Wrong → All → Exceptional offenses
b. The populace believe that some things are right and some are wrong, therefore
criminal law should make a statement which things are right and wrong
c. Power to direct individuals
d. E.g. in the past, homosexuality was deemed criminal in the eyes of the law despite
individuals engaging in such behaviours not harming anyone
e.
What is harm?
o Feinberg: “thwarting, setting back, or defeating of an interest”
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