资源描述：
《unit 4 criminal law and crimes》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。
1、CriminalLawandCrimesCriminallawmaybedefinedasthebranchoftheformalizedcodesthatidentifiescrimesandtheirpunishments.Acrimeisanactoromissionprohibitedbylawthatmaybeprosecutedbythestate.Ifoneisfoundguiltyofviolatingthelaw,theindividualmaybeformallypunished
2、.Typicalformsofpunishmentincludedeath,imprisonment,fine,removalfrompublicofficeordisqualificationfromholdingpublicoffice,probation,andrestitution.CivilandCriminalLawImportantdistinctionsexistbetweencivilandcriminallaws.Civilviolationsareoftenreferredto
3、astorts(theFrenchwordmeaningwrong).Tortsinvolvenegligentaswellasintentionalharmtoanindividualortothepropertyofanother.Thus,ifbecauseofthenegligenceofahomeownerachimneywastofallontothepropertyofanothercausingdamagetoacarandharmtoseveralpeople,acivilwron
4、ghasoccurred.However,ifthehomeownerintentionallypushesthechimneyontoanotherorthatperson’sproperty,thenacrimeandatorthaveresulted.Thisexampleillustratestheprimarydistinguishingfeaturebetweencrimesandtorts:Acrimeisconsideredtobeawrongagainstallofsociety,
5、whereasatortisconsideredtobeaprivatematterbetweenthepartiesdirectlyinvolved.Ifthepersonwhosecarwasdamagedbythechimneydeclinestopresschargesincivilcourt,thehomeownerwillbefreeofanyresponsibility.However,ifthechimneywasintentionallypushed,thestatecouldpr
6、osecuteevenifthepartyharmedrefusestobringcharges.Theseconddistinctioninvolvesthepersonswhoactuallyprosecutethecase.Aspeciallydesignatedstateprosecutororfederalofficialdirectstheproceedingswhencrimesareinvolved.However,intortactionstheindividualagainstw
7、homthewronghasbeencommittedgenerallyhiresanattorneytoprocesstheclaim.Third,althoughonewhocommitsacrimemayberequiredtoprovidesomeformofmonetaryrestitutiontosocietyortothevictim,additionalpunishmentsarealsoreadilyavailable.Theseincludefines,probation,jai
8、lsentences,removalfrompublicoffice,andevenexecution.Exceptingfines,theselatterremediesarenotavailableintortlaw.Rather,tortrestitutionreliesprimarilyonmonetarycompensation.Finally,compensationpaidindividualswhohavesuedothersincivilcourts
