CRIMINAL LAW
QUARTER 2
L. Spruit (16030575)
THE HAGUE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
,Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
Inhoudsopgave
LECTURE 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 2
LECTURE 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 7
LECTURE 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 9
LECTURE 4 ................................................................................................................................................ 12
LECTURE 5 ................................................................................................................................................ 15
LECTURE 6 ................................................................................................................................................ 20
LECTURE 7 ................................................................................................................................................ 22
,Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
Lecture 1
What is a crime?
Loveless text = behaviour that constitutes a criminal offence that may be surprising.
• For example:
o Sending a picture of yourself to a friend on your mobile
o Squatting in an abandoned building
o Tweeting your ‘blowing the airport sky high’
o Inciting violence on Facebook
Modern crimes = cyber-crime, human trafficking/modern slavery, promoting hate, stalking or criminal
harassment.
Moral wrongs
“If one commits an act that is morally bad, it may lead to both civil and criminal proceedings. For
example, a murder can lead to criminal sanctions, civil action for wrongful death, and moral
condemnation from others. However, not all morally wrongful conduct is classified as criminally or
even civilly wrong. Because a foundation of American philosophy is individual freedom, the criminal
law prohibits only extreme conduct, not all morally reprehensible conduct. Returning to the example
of murder, this qualifies as extreme conduct and is considered criminal in every jurisdiction. On the
other hand, standing by and watching while another person commits a robbery without offering
assistance when one could easily do so may be considered morally reprehensible by some people, but
is not extreme enough to require a civil or criminal remedy.”
- P. 58 Garland reading
General definition of crime
• An action or omission that constitutes an offence that may be prosecuted by the State and is
punishable by law.
• An illegal activity or serious wrongdoing
• An action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals
or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.
General definition of criminal law
• Criminal law involves prosecution of a person for an act that has been classified as a crime or
offence.
• Criminal law (criminal justice) – criminal law is the body of law (statutes/regulations/rules)
that relates to crime. It includes the punishment regime for people who violate criminal laws.
• It is a component of the Rule of Law.
Fundamental principles
Rule of Law
• The rule of law (and criminal justice) stem from a “social contract” – human beings forfeit
certain rights in order to benefit from the protection of the State.
,Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
• Criminal law is a body of rules which are designed to control human behaviours which might
threaten, harm, or endanger the property, health, safety or moral welfare of others in society.
• “Criminal justice structures reflect the nature and culture of politics in their societies.”
o “The administration of justice is a governmental function and therefore reflects the
political culture of a nation.”
o “Criminal justice agencies are governmental institutions and reflect political decisions
about law and the administration of justice.”
o But; in many nations, the Court system is designed to be independent of government
influence and should therefore be a safeguard against the abuse of power. The
executive cannot directly interfere with cases. (judicial independence)
An improvement on the divine right of kings
• “No individual is above the law and everyone must answer to it.”
• The rule of law is:
o One of the cornerstones of a democratic society, meaning that everyone is subject to
the law;
o Intended to be a safeguard against arbitrary governance, so governmental authority is
legitimately exercise only in accordance with written, publicly disclosed laws that are
adopted and enforced in accordance with established procedure.
• The three essential characteristics of modern constitutionalism are: limiting the powers of
government, adherence to the rule of law, and protection of fundamental rights.”
• Your role as a lawyer or legal professional is to act as “gatekeepers” e.g. where laws
discriminate or are oppressive.
Rights and Privileges
• If a society is governed by the rule of law then citizens have specific rights and freedoms,
curtailed by the government only through legal means, usually through legislation (even in
emergencies)
• Canada: War Measures Act
• US / France: State of Emergency (if the country is in a state of siege the President is allowed
special powers according to either the Constitution or statute)
• Rights provided in Constitutions may be suspended.
Principle of legality
• Legal idea that requires all law to be clear, ascertainable and non-retrospective.
• It requires decision makers to resolve disputes by applying legal rules that have been declared
beforehand and not to alter the legal situation retroactively.
• In criminal law, it can be seen in the general prohibition on the imposition of criminal sanction
for acts or omissions that were not criminal at the time of their commission or omission.
• The principle of legality is often expressed in the following Latin phrases:
o Nullum crimen sine lege (no crime without law) (Art. 22 Rome Statute)
o Nulla poena sine lege (no penalty without law) (Art. 23 of Rome Statute)
• Expressed in Art. 11 of the UDHR: “No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account
of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or
international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed
than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.”
, Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
These fundamental rights serve as the foundation for the rights citizens enjoy in democratic societies.
Punishment
Purposes of criminal sanctions
• Retribution: the offender should “pay back” society for the harm caused.
• Incapacitation: the person should be denied the opportunity to commit further crimes
• Rehabilitation: the offender should be transformed into a law-abiding person through
programs of medical, psychological, economic, or educational improvement.
• Deterrence: the offender, through various devices, such as certainty of punishment or length
or severity of punishment, should come to the conclusion that the crime is not worth the risk
of the resulting punishment.
o There is much debate about the effectiveness of punishment in deterring criminal
acts.
o Most highly democratic countries have eliminated the death penalty or resort to it
infrequently.
o (Many states in the USA still execute people using a variety of methods.)
• Restoration: the community, victim, and offender are involved in the sentencing process with
the aim to restore the victim and the community back to its previous state.
Other controversial punishment
• What is a crime in one nation may not be a crime in another, although;
• It is unsatisfactory to simply to compare punishment regimes
Examples:
• Saudi Arabia – beheading
• Afghanistan – stoning for adultery
• Sudan – whipping
State sanctioned punishment or no State effort to prevent it.
Punishment debate
Vital difference is that in most nations governed by the rule of law, the freedom of expression is a
fundamental human right. You can engage in a debate about the appropriateness of the death penalty
without risk of being executed.
Substantive Criminal Law vs Procedural Criminal Law
• The term criminal law generally refers to substantive criminal laws.
• Substantive criminal laws define crimes and may establish punishment dictates
o E.g. the law prohibiting theft
• Criminal procedure describes the process through which criminal laws are enforced.
• The manner in which the justice system enforces this substantive law; through the
introduction of evidence and prosecution, is governed by laws and procedure.
QUARTER 2
L. Spruit (16030575)
THE HAGUE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
,Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
Inhoudsopgave
LECTURE 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 2
LECTURE 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 7
LECTURE 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 9
LECTURE 4 ................................................................................................................................................ 12
LECTURE 5 ................................................................................................................................................ 15
LECTURE 6 ................................................................................................................................................ 20
LECTURE 7 ................................................................................................................................................ 22
,Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
Lecture 1
What is a crime?
Loveless text = behaviour that constitutes a criminal offence that may be surprising.
• For example:
o Sending a picture of yourself to a friend on your mobile
o Squatting in an abandoned building
o Tweeting your ‘blowing the airport sky high’
o Inciting violence on Facebook
Modern crimes = cyber-crime, human trafficking/modern slavery, promoting hate, stalking or criminal
harassment.
Moral wrongs
“If one commits an act that is morally bad, it may lead to both civil and criminal proceedings. For
example, a murder can lead to criminal sanctions, civil action for wrongful death, and moral
condemnation from others. However, not all morally wrongful conduct is classified as criminally or
even civilly wrong. Because a foundation of American philosophy is individual freedom, the criminal
law prohibits only extreme conduct, not all morally reprehensible conduct. Returning to the example
of murder, this qualifies as extreme conduct and is considered criminal in every jurisdiction. On the
other hand, standing by and watching while another person commits a robbery without offering
assistance when one could easily do so may be considered morally reprehensible by some people, but
is not extreme enough to require a civil or criminal remedy.”
- P. 58 Garland reading
General definition of crime
• An action or omission that constitutes an offence that may be prosecuted by the State and is
punishable by law.
• An illegal activity or serious wrongdoing
• An action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals
or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.
General definition of criminal law
• Criminal law involves prosecution of a person for an act that has been classified as a crime or
offence.
• Criminal law (criminal justice) – criminal law is the body of law (statutes/regulations/rules)
that relates to crime. It includes the punishment regime for people who violate criminal laws.
• It is a component of the Rule of Law.
Fundamental principles
Rule of Law
• The rule of law (and criminal justice) stem from a “social contract” – human beings forfeit
certain rights in order to benefit from the protection of the State.
,Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
• Criminal law is a body of rules which are designed to control human behaviours which might
threaten, harm, or endanger the property, health, safety or moral welfare of others in society.
• “Criminal justice structures reflect the nature and culture of politics in their societies.”
o “The administration of justice is a governmental function and therefore reflects the
political culture of a nation.”
o “Criminal justice agencies are governmental institutions and reflect political decisions
about law and the administration of justice.”
o But; in many nations, the Court system is designed to be independent of government
influence and should therefore be a safeguard against the abuse of power. The
executive cannot directly interfere with cases. (judicial independence)
An improvement on the divine right of kings
• “No individual is above the law and everyone must answer to it.”
• The rule of law is:
o One of the cornerstones of a democratic society, meaning that everyone is subject to
the law;
o Intended to be a safeguard against arbitrary governance, so governmental authority is
legitimately exercise only in accordance with written, publicly disclosed laws that are
adopted and enforced in accordance with established procedure.
• The three essential characteristics of modern constitutionalism are: limiting the powers of
government, adherence to the rule of law, and protection of fundamental rights.”
• Your role as a lawyer or legal professional is to act as “gatekeepers” e.g. where laws
discriminate or are oppressive.
Rights and Privileges
• If a society is governed by the rule of law then citizens have specific rights and freedoms,
curtailed by the government only through legal means, usually through legislation (even in
emergencies)
• Canada: War Measures Act
• US / France: State of Emergency (if the country is in a state of siege the President is allowed
special powers according to either the Constitution or statute)
• Rights provided in Constitutions may be suspended.
Principle of legality
• Legal idea that requires all law to be clear, ascertainable and non-retrospective.
• It requires decision makers to resolve disputes by applying legal rules that have been declared
beforehand and not to alter the legal situation retroactively.
• In criminal law, it can be seen in the general prohibition on the imposition of criminal sanction
for acts or omissions that were not criminal at the time of their commission or omission.
• The principle of legality is often expressed in the following Latin phrases:
o Nullum crimen sine lege (no crime without law) (Art. 22 Rome Statute)
o Nulla poena sine lege (no penalty without law) (Art. 23 of Rome Statute)
• Expressed in Art. 11 of the UDHR: “No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account
of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or
international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed
than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.”
, Lieke Spruit (16030575) Criminal Law Study Guide
These fundamental rights serve as the foundation for the rights citizens enjoy in democratic societies.
Punishment
Purposes of criminal sanctions
• Retribution: the offender should “pay back” society for the harm caused.
• Incapacitation: the person should be denied the opportunity to commit further crimes
• Rehabilitation: the offender should be transformed into a law-abiding person through
programs of medical, psychological, economic, or educational improvement.
• Deterrence: the offender, through various devices, such as certainty of punishment or length
or severity of punishment, should come to the conclusion that the crime is not worth the risk
of the resulting punishment.
o There is much debate about the effectiveness of punishment in deterring criminal
acts.
o Most highly democratic countries have eliminated the death penalty or resort to it
infrequently.
o (Many states in the USA still execute people using a variety of methods.)
• Restoration: the community, victim, and offender are involved in the sentencing process with
the aim to restore the victim and the community back to its previous state.
Other controversial punishment
• What is a crime in one nation may not be a crime in another, although;
• It is unsatisfactory to simply to compare punishment regimes
Examples:
• Saudi Arabia – beheading
• Afghanistan – stoning for adultery
• Sudan – whipping
State sanctioned punishment or no State effort to prevent it.
Punishment debate
Vital difference is that in most nations governed by the rule of law, the freedom of expression is a
fundamental human right. You can engage in a debate about the appropriateness of the death penalty
without risk of being executed.
Substantive Criminal Law vs Procedural Criminal Law
• The term criminal law generally refers to substantive criminal laws.
• Substantive criminal laws define crimes and may establish punishment dictates
o E.g. the law prohibiting theft
• Criminal procedure describes the process through which criminal laws are enforced.
• The manner in which the justice system enforces this substantive law; through the
introduction of evidence and prosecution, is governed by laws and procedure.
