Synonyms
Penal law
Definition
Criminal law stands for the legal rules defining and prohibiting, on pain of penalties, those acts which are regarded as socially detrimental and punishable (crimes). Criminal law also provides for penalties and other sanctions of criminal offenses, including the mode of punishment . Criminal penalties include monetary fines, imprisonments and in some jurisdictions death penalties . Criminal law is enforced by the state, particularly by prosecutors, police, courts, prisons and other enforcement institutions.
Basis Characteristics
Background and Function
Criminal law is based on the state's penal power. In a constitutional state, only the state has the power to punish people. By enacting criminal law, the states have created a legal order for the people's coexistence in the community. Criminal law defines crimes and threatens everyone with penalties if found guilty of having committed such detrimental and forbidden acts....
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Koyuncu, A. (2008). Criminal Law and Public Health . In: Kirch, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Public Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_610
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_610
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5613-0
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