Classification of Crimes and Sources of Criminal Law
This section delves deeper into the classification of crimes and explores the various sources of criminal law.
Vocabulary:
- Malum in se: A wrong in itself, inherently evil and immoral in nature.
- Malum prohibitum: A wrong that is prohibited by statute but not inherently evil.
Examples of malum in se crimes include battery, robbery, murder, and rape. Malum prohibitum offenses typically include traffic offenses, regulatory laws, and carrying a concealed weapon.
The criminal law is divided into general and specific parts:
- General principles: Voluntary act, criminal intent, complicity, attempt, justification, and excuse.
- Specific principles: Crimes against persons, property, public order and morals, and the state.
Highlight: The sources of criminal law include the Constitution, state constitutions, common law, US criminal code, state criminal codes, municipal ordinances, judicial decisions, and administrative agencies.
The document traces the common law origin of criminal law, explaining how it evolved from unwritten law based on community customs to being incorporated into court decisions. It also discusses the role of criminal codes, including state legislatures and the Model Penal Code, which influenced more than 40 states to change their criminal codes.
Example: Administrative agency crimes are an important source of criminal law. For instance, the IRS, EPA, and SEC have the authority to make rules that can result in criminal penalties if violated.
The levels of criminal law are outlined as federal, state, and local, with explanations of how they sometimes overlap and interact.