Criminal Law Quiz

Question 1

What are regulatory offences?

Answer 1

• Offences that concern traffic laws, health and safety laws, environmental protection laws, etc.
• Offences that are legislated by both the federal and provincial governments
• Have a lower threshold of proof than regular offences because the punishment is less severe
• Proving the mens rea is not necessary

Question 2

What is the actus reus?

Answer 2

• The physical or guilty act, omission of an act, or state of being that constitutes a crime
• Latin for “guilty act”

Question 3

What is the mens rea?

Answer 3

• The mental element of one’s criminal actions
• Latin for “guilty mind”

Question 4

What is the subjective standard of intent?

Answer 4

• Measuring whether the accused his or herself knew or should have been able to anticipate the consequences of his or her actions
• More difficult to prove

Question 5

What is the objective standard of intent?

Answer 5

• Measures whether, compared to a reasonable person, the accused should have been able to foresee the consequences of his or her actions
• Easier to prove
• The standard of intent that the Crown usually tries to prove

Question 6

What is intent?

Answer 6

• Refers to the state of mind with which an act is done or not done
• Refers to waht one intended to do when they committed a crime

Question 7

What is motive?

Answer 7

• Refers to what prompts or causes a person to act or to not act

Question 7

What is general intent?

Answer 7

• The intent that shows that the accused meant to commit the crime that they committed
• Ex. If Brian swings his golf club at John with the intent to hit him and injure him, this is assault

Question 8

What is the doctrine of transferred intent?

Answer 8

• The doctrine that states that if the accused intended to commit a crime against one person but injured another person instead, the original criminal intent still applies and is transferred to the unintended victim

Question 9

What is specific intent?

Answer 9

• The intent that is in addition to the general intent to commit a crime
• Ex. Burglary is the breaking and entering of a house with the intent to commit an indictable offence (ex. to steal)
• The “break and enter” aspect of the crime requires general intent
• The “intent to commit an indictable offence” (ex. to steal) requires specific intent