(A) GENERAL[1]

(..1..)

“NATURE AND CONCEPT OF CRIME”[2]

Table of Contents

QUESTION BANK

1. Define ‘crime’ and distinguish between a ‘crime’ and ‘tort’
2. Explain crime and distinguish between crime and other wrongs
3. Define ‘crime and discuss the nature and scope of crime’
4 Define ‘Crime’. What is concept of ‘Crime’? Explain essentials of crime

SYNOPSIS

I] Introduction

II] Definition of ‘crime’

III] Nature of crime

IV] Difference between ‘civil’ and ‘criminal’ justice

1) Objects

2) Determination

3) Gravity

4) Party to the proceeding

5) Mens Rea (Guilty mind)

V] Difference between ‘tort’ and ‘crime’

VI] Difference between ‘contract’ and ‘crime’

I] INTRODUCTION:-

Administration of justice[3] is one of the essential functions of the State. In other words, maintaining law and order is the foundation of civilised society. Justice is administered through courts and is divided into the criminal justice system.[4] and the civil justice system[5]. The criminal justice system is more important; it touches the day-to-day life of the present civilised society.[6]. J Taylor has rightly marked the importance of the criminal justice system. He says, “A hard of wolves is quieter and more at once than so many men unless they have got common reason among them all or common power over them all.”[7]. However, a ‘common reason’ among them is not possible, but the State can easily exercise the common power against them. According to Hobbs, unless man is under “a common power to keep them all in awe”, it is impossible for man to live together. Therefore, the element of force is inevitable to keep them together. A man is a fighting animal, and force alone is a controlling factor.

Therefore, the administration of justice with the physical force of the State is unavoidable. Thus, the maintenance of rights within a political community through the physical force of the State is a must.

II] DEFINITION OF ‘CRIME’:-

It is difficult to give a correct and precise definition of crime.

1) Austin defines “crime” as:-

“Any act or omission which the law punishes”[8]

2) I.P.C. S. 40 defines “offence”:-

“The word offence denotes a thing made punishable by this code.”

3) Blackstone:-

According to Blackstone, “Crime is an act committed in violation of a public law forbidding or commanding it.” He gave another improved definition : “Crime is a violation of a public right and duties due to the whole community.”

4) According to Kenny:-

“Crimes are wrongs whose sanction is punitive[9] and is in no way remissible by any private person, but is remissible by the Crown (State) alone if remissible at all.”

5) According to Osborn:-

“Crime is an act or default, which tends to prejudice the community, and forbidden by law on pain of punishment inflicted at the suit of the State.”[10]From the above definitions, the following elements of the crime can be deduced. Viz.

i) It is harm to another[11].
ii) Brought about by human conduct[12].

iii) Which the State desires to prevent through law[13].

(i.e. by providing punishment for its violation)

III] NATURE OF CRIME:-

A crime is an act or omission which is prohibited by law. It is harmful to the public at large. It affects the elementary social interest, i.e. the integrity of life, liberty and property. Society changes; therefore, the law must change according to the needs of the changing society. The concept of law and crime changes from time to time and from place to place. For instance, ‘Adultery[14]’ is not a crime under English law, but I.P.C. prohibits it under S.497. The ‘Sati’ system (i.e. burning of a wife on the funeral pyres of her dead husband) was a practice in India, but now it is an offence. Until recently, environmental pollution was not recognised as an offence. Practices like ‘Slavery’, ‘untouchability’, and ‘dowry’ were considered prestigious until recently. They are now crimes prohibited by law. Therefore, any act that is a crime today may not be a crime tomorrow if the legislature legislates it. It depends upon the values that society preserves from time to time.

IV] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘CIVIL AND CRIMINAL’ JUSTICE:-

As discussed earlier, an administration of justice is civil and criminal. There are the following differences between these two. Viz-

1) Objects:-

The object of civil proceedings is to enforce rights through various civil remedies such as the recovery of damages, specific performance, injunction, etc. In contrast, the object of criminal proceedings is to punish the wrongdoer.[15]. In other words, the object of criminal liability is of a penal nature (i.e. death, imprisonment, fine, etc.)

2) Determination:-

The civil proceeding determines the rights and liabilities of the parties to the suit, whereas the criminal proceeding determines the accused’s guilt.

3) Gravity:-

Crimes are graver and more harmful in their consequence. Therefore, it is said that crime injures the ‘public at large’ whereas civil wrongs are comparatively of lesser harm. Therefore, they are called wrongs against ‘individual’.

4) Party to the proceeding:-

In criminal proceedings, the ‘State’ itself constitutes a party since the crime is a wrong against the whole society, whereas, in civil proceedings, private individuals are the litigants before the court.

5) Mens Rea (Guilty Mind)[16]:-

Mens rea (guilty mind) is essential in determining criminal wrongs, whereas it is not essential in adjudicating civil wrongs.

V] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘TORT’ AND ‘CRIME’:-

Originally, wrongs were either civil or criminal. Thus, detention, conversion, and wrongful dismissals are purely civil wrongs, i.e. torts, whereas Dacoity, Murder, Forgery, etc., are purely criminal wrongs, i.e. crimes. Both a tort and a crime resemble each other in that both are violations of rights in rem, and both rights and duties are fixed by law, irrespective of the parties’ consent.

The following are the three points of distinction between these two-

1) As to the nature of wrong: –

A tort is a private wrong. It is an infringement of an individual’s private or civil rights.

On the other hand, a crime is an invasion of public rights and duties affecting society.

2) As to the remedy available: –

In tort, the wrongdoer has to pay compensation to the other party, whereas in crime, the State punishes him. Even in crime, compensation to the victim may be awarded in addition to punishment. However, this does not change the nature of the remedy, i.e. punitive.

3) As to the procedure: –

In tort, the suit is filed by the injured party himself in civil court, whereas, in crime, the proceeding is taken and conducted in the name of the State in criminal courts.

4) Party to the proceeding:-

In a criminal proceeding, the ‘State’ itself acts as a party (on behalf of the victim) since the crime is wrong against the whole society.

In a suit for tortuous wrong, private individuals are the litigants before the court.

5) Mens Rea (Guilty Mind):-

Mens rea (guilty mind) is essential in determining criminal wrongs, whereas it is not essential in adjudicating wrong under tort.

VI] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘CONTRACT’ AND ‘CRIME’.

1) As to the nature of wrong[17]: –

A cause of action to claim damages or compensation arises in favour of an individual under contract when one party to the contract commits a breach of its terms, and it is purely personal.

On the other hand, a crime is an invasion of public rights and duties affecting society.

2) As to the remedy available[18]: –

The person making a breach of contract has to pay damages or compensation to another party, whereas, in crime, he is punished by the State.

3) As to the procedure[19]: –

For breach of contract, the suit lies in civil court, whereas in crime, the proceedings are taken and conducted in the name of the State in criminal courts.

4) Party to the proceeding[20]:-

In criminal proceedings, the ‘State’ itself constitutes a party (prosecutor) since the crime is wrong against the whole society, whereas, in a suit for breach of contract, private individuals are the litigants before the court.

5) Mens Rea (Guilty Mind):-

Mens rea (guilty mind) is essential in determining criminal wrongs, whereas it is not essential in a suit for breach of contract.

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[1] येथून पुढे काही महत्त्वाच्या इंग्रजी शब्दांचे मराठीत अर्थ दिलेले आहेत. त्याचा उद्देष विद्यार्थ्यांना विषय चांगल्या प्रकारे समजावा एवढाच आहे. मराठी अर्थ हे विषयाला धरुन केले असल्यामुळे ते शब्दकोषाप्रमाणे अगदी बरोबर असतील असे नाही. विद्यार्थ्यांनी अभ्यास करताना विविध मराठी व इंग्रजी शब्दकोष वापरावेत. [यहाँ से कुछ महत्वपूर्ण अंग्रेजी शब्दों का मराठी/हिंदी में अर्थ दिया गया है। इसका उद्देश्य छात्रों को विषय को अच्छी तरह से समझाना है। सिर्फ इसलिए कि मराठी अर्थ विषय वस्तु पर आधारित हैं, जरूरी नहीं कि वे शब्दकोष के रूप में सटीक हों। छात्रों को अध्ययन करते समय विभिन्न मराठी और अंग्रेजी शब्दकोशों का उपयोग करना चाहिए।]

[2] गुन्हयाचे स्वरूप व संकल्पना. [अपराध की प्रकृति और अवधारणा।]

[3] न्यायदान. [न्याय का प्रशासन]

[4] फौजदारी न्याय पध्दती. [अपराधिक न्याय प्रणाली।]

[5] दिवाणी न्याय पध्दती. [नागरि न्याय प्रणाली।]

[6] सुसंस्कृत समाज. [सभ्य समाज।]

[7] ‘‘लांडग्यांचा कळप हा मानावा पेक्षा शांत आणि व्यवस्थित असतो, जोपर्यंत सर्व माणवाच्यात एकच इच्छा नाही अथवा त्यांच्यावर नियंत्रित ठेवणारी ऐक शक्ती नाही तोपर्यंत”’. [भेड़ियों का एक झुंड बहुत सारे आदमियों की तुलना में शांत और एक साथ अधिक होता है जब तक कि आदमीयोंके बीच एक समान कारण या उन सभी पर सामान्य शक्ति न हो]

[8] ‘‘कोणतेही कृत्य अथवा अकृत्य (कसुर) की ज्यासाठी कायदयात शिक्षेची तरतूद आहे’’. [ “कोई भी कार्य या चूक (कसूर) जिसके लिए कानून द्वारा सजा का प्रावधान है”।]

[9] शिक्षेच्या स्वरूपातील. [दंडात्मक]

[10] (a)A crime “is an act committed or omitted in violation of a public law forbidding or commanding it.”

(b) According to Miller-“A crime is the commission or omission of an act which the law forbids or commands under pain of a punishment to be imposed by the state by a proceeding in its own name”.

(c) According to Paton– “In crime we find that the normal marks are that the state has power to control the procedure, to remit the penalty or to inflict the punishment.”

(d)According to infliction of a penalty, instead of leaving the remedy to the discretion of some injured person.”

(e)According to Keeton– “A crime today would seem to be any undesirable act which the state finds it most convenient to correct by the institution of proceedings for the Haisbury’s Laws of England– “A crime is an unlawful act or default which is an offence against the public and renders the person guilty of the act or default liable to legal punishment. While a crime is often also an injury to a private person, who has a remedy in a civil action, it is an act or default contrary to the order, peace and well-being of society that a crime is punishable by the state.”

(f)According to Glanville Williams: “A crime (or offence) is a legal wrong that can be followed by criminal proceedings which may result in punishment”.

[11] दुसÚयास दुखापत/इजा. [दूसरे को चोट/चोट लगना।]

[12] की जी मानवी कृत्यामुळे झालेली आहे.[ जो मानव गतिविधि के कारण होता है।]

[13] की जी कायदयाच्या माध्यमातून रोखण्याची राश्ट्राची इच्छा असते. [जिसे देश कानून के जरिए रोकना चाहता है।]

[14] व्याभिचार.

[15] तथापि फौजदारी प्रक्रीयेचा उददेष हा गुन्हेगाराला शिक्षा देणे हा असतो. [हालांकि, आपराधिक कार्यवाही का उद्देश्य अपराधी को दंडित करना है।]

[16] अपराधी/पापी मन [दोषी/पापी मन]

[17] अपकृत्याचे स्वरूप. [अपराध की प्रकृति।]

[18] उपलब्ध उपाय.[ उपलब्ध समाधान]

[19] न्यायीक प्रक्रीये संबंधी. [न्यायिक प्रक्रिया के संबंध में।]

[20] न्यायिक प्रक्रियातील पक्षकार [एक न्यायिक कार्यवाही मे कीं एक पार्टी]