the nature of crime

Question 1

meaning of crime

Answer 1

act or omission that describes unlawful activites against communities or victims; punishable by the state and made a crime by legislators

Question 2

the elements of crime

Answer 2

actus reus - act
mens rea - guilty mind

Question 3

strict liability offences

Answer 3

only actus reus needs to be proved e.g. speeding

Question 4

causation

Answer 4

prove sufficient evidence of a cause and effect relationship between actions of accused and harm for victim

Question 5

summary + indictable offences

Answer 5

summary - minor, heard + decided in local court by magistrate
Laid by police prosecutor/gov office
indictable - serious, heard + decided by judge + jury in district or supreme
Brought by public prosecutor

Question 6

parties to a crime

Answer 6

principal in the first degree
principal in the second degree
accessory before the fact
accessory after the fact

Question 7

factors affecting criminal behaviour

Answer 7

psychological
social
economic
political
genetic
self interest

Question 8

situational + social crime prevention

Answer 8

situational
short term, increase difficulty to commit crime,
increase effort in offending + risk associated
e.g. improving alarms

social
long term, address systemic prblems which lead to criminal activity
e.g. improving edu.

Question 9

8 categories of crime

Answer 9

1. offences against the person
2. offences against the sovereign
3. economic offences
4. drug offences
5. driving offences
6. public order offences
7. preliminary offences
8. regulatory offences