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Crime is an act which violates the law and is punishable by law. A crime can be the action of violating or breaking the law, having the intention of doing so or helping others in the process. Crimes are viewed as offenses against society, and as such are punished by the state. The definition of a crime generally reflects the current attitudes of a society. For example, posession of drugs was not always a crime, while the Prohibition Era made alcohol illegal. |
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Crime is an act which violates the law and is punishable by law. A crime can be the action of violating or breaking the law, having the intention of doing so or helping others in the process. Crimes are viewed as offenses against society, and as such are punished by the state. The definition of a crime generally reflects the current attitudes prevalent in a society. For example, posession of drugs was not always a crime, while the Prohibition Era made alcohol illegal. |
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Crimes are generally classified into different degrees of severity, including violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. Violations are punishable by a fine, misdemeanors are punishable by up to a year in a state penitentiary and/ or a fine, and felonies are punishable by a year or more in a state prison and/ or a fine. |
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Crimes are generally classified into different degrees of severity, including violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. Violations are punishable by a fine, misdemeanors are punishable by up to a year in a state penitentiary and/ or a fine, and felonies are punishable by a year or more in a state prison and/ or a fine. |
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see also hate crime, criminal law, civil law, [social policy]?, [Supreme Court]?, criminology, victimology, [criminal justice]?, case law, statutory law, [strict liability crimes]?, insanity defense, [defense of justification]?, [mala in se]?, [mala prohibida]?, [mens re]?, [actus reus]?, [inchoate crimes]?. |
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Natural law theory of crime An alternative view of crime is derived from the theory of [natural law]?. In this view, crime is the violation of individual rights. Since rights are considered as natural, rather than man-made, what constitutes a crime is also natural, in contrast to laws, which are man-made. Adam Smith illustrates this view, saying a smuggler would be an excellent citizen, "had not the laws of his country made that a crime which nature never meant to be so." Natural law theory thus distinguishes between criminality and illegality, the former being derived from human nature, the latter being derived from the interests of those in power. This view leads to a seeming paradox, that an act can be illegal that is no crime, while a criminal act could be perfectly legal. Many enlightenment thinkers such as Adam Smith and the American Founding Fathers subscribed to this view to some extent, and it remains influential among so-called classical liberals and libertarians. see also hate crime, criminal law, civil law, [social policy]?, [Supreme Court]?, criminology, victimology, [criminal justice]?, case law, statutory law, [strict liability crimes]?, insanity defense, [defense of justification]?, [mala in se]?, [mala prohibida]?, [mens rea]?, [actus reus]?, [inchoate crimes]?. |
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