What is Substantive Criminal Law? By Matt Horeczko

Crimes are defined by substantive criminal law, which describes the acts considered crimes and how punishments are administered. Matt Horeczko explains the definition of criminal law, the links to procedural criminal law, and the development of substantive criminal law today. 

Criminal law in the United States is divided into two types. Crimes are defined and punished by substantive criminal law. Criminal procedure is the actual process of investigating and prosecuting criminal behavior.



Today, substantive criminal law is based on tweaking older laws, enacting new laws in response to new criminal activity, and abolishing unnecessary laws. Substantive law has a long history.

Legality is regarded as the keystone of criminal law in almost every legal system throughout the world. There are four dimensions to it. There can be no crime without a rule of law; therefore, immoral or antisocial behavior is not illegal, and punishment by law is not criminal. In some common-law countries, the law may be customary, but in the majority of countries, criminal law exists solely in statutes.

Second, the principle of legality requires that criminal statutes be interpreted strictly and not extended analogically. Criminal statutes that are unclear in their meaning or application usually receive a narrow interpretation favorable to the accused. The law does not have to be interpreted literally if doing so would defeat its purpose. Some state laws in the U.S. incorporate a provision of the Model Penal Code. According to the code, its provisions should be interpreted "according to the fair import of their terms," which is in line with European practice.

Thirdly, retroactively applying the law is against the legality principle. So that an individual may be sentenced, a law must have been in development at the time the act was committed. 

According to Matt Horeczko, the fourth wording of criminal statutes must be as unambiguous as likely to deliver proper notification to the potential lawbreaker. In some countries, statutes may even be considered irrelevant if they are vague.

 

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