INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL LAW

INTRO TO CRIMINAL LAW

1. CRIMINAL LAW 101
MITRA, KARYLL ANN G.
POL111 –INTRODUCTION TO LAW

2. CRIMINAL LAW
Criminallawisthebodyoflawthatrelatestocrime.It
regulatessocialconductandprescribeswhateveris
threatening,harmful,orotherwiseendangeringtothe
property,health,safety,andmoralwelfareofpeople.It
includesthepunishmentofpeoplewhoviolatethese
laws.Criminallawvariesaccordingtojurisdiction,and
differsfromcivillaw,whereemphasisismoreondispute
resolutionandvictimcompensationthanonpunishment.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIMINAL LAW
1.GENERAL-thelawisbindingtoallpersonswhoresideinthePhilippines
2.TERRITORIAL-thelawisbindingtoallcrimescommittedwithinthe
NationalTerritoryofthePhilippines
Terrestrial–jurisdictionexercisedoverland
Fluvial–overmaritimeandinteriorwaters
Aerial–overtheatmosphere
3.PROSPECTIVE(Prospectivity)–thelawdoesnothaveanyretroactive
effect

4. SOURCES OF CRIMINAL LAW
1.TheRevisedPenalCode
2.SpecialPenalLaws-ActsenactedofthePhilippine
Legislaturepunishingoffensesoromissions
BASIC MAXIMS IN CRIMINAL LAW
1.Doctrineofproreo
2.Nullumcrimen,nullapoenasinelege
3.Actusnonfacitreum,nisimenssitrea

5. DEFINITION OF
CRIMES
AGAINST PERSON|AGAINST PROPERTIES

6. AGAINST PERSON
Theterm“crimesagainsttheperson”referstoabroadarrayof
criminaloffenseswhichusuallyinvolvebodilyharm,thethreatof
bodilyharm,orotheractionscommittedagainstthewillofan
individual.Thoseinvolvingbodilyharm(orthethreatthereof)
includeassault,battery,anddomesticviolence.Additionally,
offensessuchasharassment,kidnapping,andstalkingalsoare
consideredcrimesagainsttheperson.

7. AGAINST PROPERTIES
Crimesagainstpropertyarecrimesoftheft,whereno
forceorthreatofforceisdirectedagainstan
individual.Itincludes:
Crimesinwhichpropertyisdestroyed,and
Crimesinwhichpropertyisstolenortakenagainsttheowner’s
will.Thisconsistsofcrimessuchas:burglary,larceny,robbery,
extortion,motorvehicletheft,etc.

8. BASIC ELEMENTS OF
CRIMES
ACTUS REUS|MENS REA|CONCURRENCE|CAUSATION|RESULTING
INJURY OR CRIME

9. ACTUS REUS,PHYSICAL ACT OF THE CRIME
DEFINITION:
Aguiltyactthatisconsciousandvoluntary.
“Arewegoingtoholdsomebodycriminallyliableforanactthatisnot
volitionalandnotvoluntary?”
NO,WE’RENOT.

10. ACTUS REUS,PHYSICAL ACT OF THE CRIME
EXAMPLES:
Someonewhoisdrivingacarsuddenlyhadaheartattackandthey
hitsomebodyalongthesidewalk.Aretheygoingtobeguiltyofhitting
somebody?
NO.
Apersonwhohasasleepwalkingdisordercommitsmurder.Arethey
goingtobefoundguiltyofthecrime?
NO.

11. OMISSIONS TO ACT
GENERALRULE:
Nodutytoactiononbehalfofastrangerinperil.
EXCEPTIONS:
1.BYLAW
Sometimes,therearedutiestoactthatareprescribedbylaw.
EXAMPLE:
Youhaveadutytoautomaticallypayyourtaxes.Ifyoudon’t,you
couldbeheldliablefortaxevasion.

12. OMISSIONS TO ACT
2.BYCONTRACT
Whenyouarecontractedbydutytocometotheaidofanother.
EXAMPLE:
Alifeguardinapoolisbeingpaidtorescueandsavepeople.Butthen
thelifeguardwasjustsittingthereflirtingwithacutegirlwhilstsomeone
wasdrowning.
Ifthevictimthendrowns,wecanholdthelifeguardguiltyofinvoluntary
manslaughterforhisfailuretofulfillhiscontract.

13. OMISSIONS TO ACT
3.BYRELATIONSHIP
Relationshipsmayalsoimposeadutytoact.
EXAMPLES:
Husbandandwifehavethedutytocometotheaidofeachother.
Parentsandchildhavethedutytocometotheaidofeachother.

14. MENS REA,MENTAL INTENT TO DO THE CRIME
DEFINITION:
Aguiltymind.
Thedefendantknewthatwhathewasdoingwaswrong.
WHERETOFINDMENSREA?
1.SpecificIntentCrimes
2.GeneralIntentCrimes
3.StrictLiabilityCrimes

15. MENS REA,SPECIFIC INTENT CRIMES
The defendant must have specific intent to commit the crime.
Mentally, he has to mean for that crime to occur.
EXAMPLES:
1.Solicitation, Attempt, Conspiracy
2.Theft Crimes
3.Intent to Kill
4.Heat of Passion Killings

16. MENS REA,GENERAL INTENT CRIMES
No specific intent needed to commit a crime.
Intent can be inferred from defendant’s conduct.
EXAMPLES:
1.Rape
2.Battery
3.Arson
4.Mayhem
5.Depraved Heart Murder

17. MENS REA,STRICT LIABILITY CRIMES
Crimes where the defendant’s state of mind is immaterial.
Defendant’s conviction will rest solely on the fact that he/she has
committed the prohibited act.
EXAMPLES:
1.Speeding
2.Parking in front of a fire hydrant
3.Statutory rape

18. CONCURRENCE, OF ACTUS REUS AND MENS REA
DEFINITION:
Defendantmustbothhaveaguiltyactandguiltymindatthetimehe
committedthecrime.
CAUSATION
GENERALRULE:
Youonlyneedtogotocausationwhenthere’sathirdpartythat’sinvolved
oranactofGod.
“Is the defendant the legal or the proximate cause of the resulting crime or
injury?”

19. CLASSIFICATION OF
CRIMES
FELONIES|MISDEMEANORS|MALUM IN SE CRIMES|MALUM
PROHIBITUM|INFAMOUS CRIMES

20. FELONIES
DEFINITION:
Crimesthataregenerallypunishablebydeath,orimprisonment
exceedingoneyear.
Afelonythat'spunishablebydeathisconsideredacapitalcrime.
EXAMPLES:
Burglary
Rape
Arson
Robbery
Manslaughter
Murder
Mayhem

21. MISDEMEANORS
DEFINITION:
Offenses lower than felonies, and generally punishable by less than
a year in jail, or a fine.
EXAMPLES:
Petty Offense, i.e. jaywalking
Public Intoxication
Simple Assault
Disorderly Conduct
Trespassing
Vandalism
Reckless Driving
Possession of Marijuana

22. MISDEMEANORS
Whetheracrimeisconsideredafelonyora
misdemeanor willmanytimesdepend onany
aggravatingfactors.Thesearefactorsthatmakea
crimemoreserious.Forexample,thetheftofavery
inexpensiveitemfromastoremaybeconsidereda
misdemeanor.However,thetheftofmultipleitemsthat
areworththousandsofdollarsmaybeconsidereda
felony.

23. MALUM IN SE, EVIL IN ITSELF
DEFINITION:
Acrimethatiswronginitself.
Anactinvolvingillegalityfromthenatureofitstransaction.
EXAMPLES:
Burglary
Robbery
Arson
Manslaughter
Murder

24. MALUM PROHIBITUM, WRONG BECAUSE PROHIBITED
DEFINITION:
Anactthatisnotinherentlyimmoral,butisexpresslyforbiddenby
positivelaw.
CrimesthatarecreatedbyLegislativeStatutes.
EXAMPLES:
Selling liquor/cigarettes to a minor
Speeding
Running a stop sign

25. MALA IN SEVSMALA PROHIBITA

26. INFAMOUS CRIMES
DEFINITION:
Crimethatisshameful,ordisgraceful.
Usuallyinvolvesfraudordishonesty.
EXAMPLES:
Perjury
Embezzlement
Mail and Securities Fraud

27. THEORIES OF
CRIMINAL LAW
CLASSICAL THEORY |POSITIVIST THEORY |ECLECTIC OR MIXED

28. CLASSICAL THEORY, JURISTIC
Manisessentiallyamoralcreaturewithanabsolutefreewillto
choosebetweengoodandevilandthereforemorestressisplaced
upontheresultofthefeloniousactthanuponthecriminalhimself.
Thepurposeofpenaltyisretribution.
Manisregardedasamoralcreaturewhounderstandsrightfrom
wrong.Sothatwhenhecommitsawrong,hemustbepreparedto
acceptthepunishmenttherefore.

29. POSITIVIST THEORY,POSITIVIST
Manissubduedoccasionallybyastrangeandmorbid
phenomenon whichconditionshimtodowronginspiteofor
contrarytohisvolition.
Thepurposeofpenaltyisreformation.
Thereisgreatrespectforthehumanelementbecausetheoffender
isregardedassociallysickwhoneedstreatment,notpunishment.
Crimesareregardedassocialphenomena whichconstraina
persontodowrongalthoughnotofhisownvolition

30. ECLECTIC OR MIXED PHILO, GROTIANS
Thiscombinesbothpositivistandclassicalthinking.Crimesthatare
economicandsocialandnatureshouldbedealtwithina
positivistmanner;thus,thelawismorecompassionate.Heinous
crimesshouldbedealtwithinaclassicalmanner;thus,capital
punishment.

31. STAGES IN THE COMMISSION
OF THE CRIME
INTENTION TO COMMIT THE CRIME|PREPARATION TO COMMIT CRIME
|ATTEMPT TO COMMMIT THE CRIME |COMMISSION OF THE CRIME

33. INTENTION TO COMMIT THE CRIME
Guiltymindtocommitthecrime.Intentiontocommitacrimeisnot
punishableunlessitismadeknowntootherseitherbywords.
PREPARATION TO COMMIT THE CRIME
Arrangingforthemeansandmeasuresnecessaryforthe
commission ofthecrime.Preparationisnotnormally
punishable.However,therearesomeexceptions:
oWagingwaragainstgovernment
oPreparationforcounterfeitingcoinsandgovernmentstamps,etc.

34. EXAMPLE OF PREPARATION
‘A’intendstokill‘B’.’A’purchasespoisoninordertomixwithB’s
food.Uptothisstage,A’sactismerepreparation.
EXAMPLE OF AN ATTEMPT
‘A’,apickpocketputshishandinB’spockettostealthepurseof‘B’
but‘A’doesnotfindanypurseinB’spocket.Isitacrime?
Yes, it is a crime of attempt to theft.

35. ATTEMPT TO COMMIT THE CRIME
Attemptisthedirectmovementtowardsthecommissionofanoffense
afterthepreparationhasbeenmade.Attemptisthoseacts,which
crossthestageofbeingpreparatorytothecommissionofanoffense.
COMMISSION OF THE CRIME
Iftheattempttocommittheoffenseissuccessful,thenthecrimeis
committed.
EXAMPLE:
‘A‘firedat‘B’withtheevilmotivetokill‘B’andBdiedimmediately.Thisisthe
crimeofmurder.Thisstageisthecommissionofthecrime.

36. PENALTIES
RECLUSION PERPETUA|RECLUSION TEMPORAL|PRISIÓNMAYOR |
PRISIÓNCORRECCIONAL |ARRESTO MAYOR |ARRESTO MENOR

38. PARTICIPATION OF THE
OFFENDER
PRINCIPALS|ACCOMPLICES|ACCESSORIES

39. PRINCIPALS
Apersonscanbeliableasaprincipalfor:
takingadirectpartintheexecutionofthefelony,
directlyforcingorinducingotherstocommitit,or
cooperateinthecommissionoftheoffensebyanotheract
withoutwhichitwouldnothavebeenaccomplished.

40. ACCOMPLICES
Accomplicesarepersonswho,whilenotactingasaprincipal,cooperatein
theexecutionoftheoffensebypreviousorsimultaneousacts.
ACCESSORIES
Accessoriesarethosewho,havingknowledgeofthecommissionofthe
crime,andwithouthavingparticipatedtherein,eitherasprincipalsor
accomplices,takepartsubsequenttoitscommissionby:
profitingthemselvesorassistingtheoffendertoprofitbytheeffectsofthecrime,
concealingordestroyingthebodyofthecrime,ortheeffectsorinstruments
thereof,inordertopreventitsdiscovery,or
harboring,concealing,orassistingintheescapeoftheprincipalsofthecrime.

41. THANK YOU!