Criminal law |
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Elements |
Scope of criminal liability |
Severity of offense |
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Inchoate offenses |
Offense against the person |
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Sexual offenses |
Crimes against property |
Crimes against justice |
Crimes against the public |
Crimes against animals |
Crimes against the state |
Defenses to liability |
Other common-law areas |
Portals |
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The criminal law of the United States is a manifold system of laws and practices that connects crimes and consequences. In comparison, civil law addresses non-criminal disputes. The system varies considerably by jurisdiction, but conforms to the US Constitution.[1] Generally there are two systems of criminal law to which a person maybe subject; the most frequent is state criminal law, and the other is federal law.
The American Model Penal Code defines the purpose of criminal law as: to prevent any conduct that cause or may cause harm to people or society, to enact public order, to define what acts are criminal, to inform the public what acts constitute crimes, and to distinguish a minor from a serious offense.[2]