scholarly journals The American Model Penal Code: A Brief Overview

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul H. Robinson ◽  
Markus D. Dubber
Keyword(s):  
Great Influence ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Model Penal Code ◽  
American Model ◽  
Penal Codes ◽  
The Law ◽  
Historic Document ◽  
Code Format

If there can be said to be an "American criminal code," the Model Penal Code is it. Nonetheless, there remains an enormous diversity among the fifty-two American penal codes, including some that have never adopted a modern code format or structure. Yet, even within the minority of states without a modern code, the Model Penal Code has great influence, as courts regularly rely upon it to fashion the law that the state's criminal code fails to provide. In this essay we provide a brief introduction to this historic document, its origins, and its content.

The draft code and reliance upon official statements

Legal Studies ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glanville Williams
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Code ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Model Penal Code ◽  
Draft Code ◽  
American Law ◽  
The Law ◽  
Political Realities ◽  
Law Commission

Any project to draft a criminal code has to compromise between the desirable and the politically possible. It may be that the draft now produced by the Law Commission, or something like it, is the best that can safely be backed, though the contrast between it and the American Law Institute's Model Penal Code (which also had to take account of political realities, and yet has been adopted in many States) is a painful reflection on our stodginess. It is hard to avoid the impression that the Law Commission have been too cautious in their approach, leaning too much in favour of bare restatement of the existing law and against modifications that experience or reflection show to be necessary.

Mensrea

1990 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Hampton
Keyword(s):  
Daily Life ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
Mens Rea ◽  
Model Penal Code ◽  
States Of Mind ◽  
Criminal Conviction ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Right

Accusing, condemning, and avenging are part of our daily life. However, a review of many years of literature attempting to analyze our blaming practices suggests that we do not understand very well what we are doing when we judge people culpable for a wrong they have committed. Of course, everyone agrees that, for example, someone deserves censure and punishment when she is guilty of a wrong, and the law has traditionally looked for a mens rea, or “guilty mind,” in order to convict someone of a criminal wrongdoing. But philosophers and legal theorists have found it interestingly difficult to say what mens rea is. For example, noting the way in which we intuitively think people aren't culpable for a crime if they disobey the law by mistake, or under duress, or while insane, theorists such as H.L.A. Hart have tried to define mens rea negatively, as that which an agent has if he is not in what we consider to be an excusing state. But such an approach only circumscribes and does not unravel the central mystery; it also fails to explain why the law recognizes any excusing states as mitigating or absolving one of guilt, much less why all and only the excusing states that are recognized by the law are the right ones. Moreover, the Model Penal Code, which gives a very detailed account of the kinds of mental states which justify criminal conviction, does not tell us (nor was it designed to tell us) why these states of mind (e.g., knowledge, purposiveness, intention, assumption of risk of harm, negligence) are relevant to an assessment of legal guilt.

scholarly journals LEGAL APPLICATION OF THE OFFENCE OF MURDER AND EUTHANASIA IN NIGERIA

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sani Ibrahim Salihu ◽  
Yuhanif Yusof ◽  
Rohizan Halim
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Medical Treatment ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Slippery Slope ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Voluntary Consent ◽  
The Law

Abstract: Euthanasia is one of the concepts that stifled debate among academics, lawyers, religious scholars and even politicians. The reason being that it is killing human being although forcompassionate reason, and with voluntary consent of the victim. Opponents of legalizing it, rely on the fear of slippery slope, sacred nature of life and question of inheritance. Despite the aforementioned factors, some countries legalised it while it remains a crime in the majority of other countries including Nigeria. We wrote this paper with the aim of highlighting and reinforcing the prohibition of the practice using Nigerian laws. Doctrinal method was employed to achieve the above objectives. In the process both primary and secondary legal materials were fully considered. The scope of the paper was limited to substantive provisions of both the penal code and the criminal code of Nigeria respectively. The aforementioned laws deal with the offence of murder by conduct or omission. However, there is no mention of the direct act of euthanasia, but from the reading of the laws inference can be drawn relating to withholding and withdrawing medical treatment leading to death. The finding of the paper is that although there is an elaborate provision regarding the prohibition of euthanasia under the criminal code, the law is not so adequate under the penal code and both laws are independent of themselves. Since both laws are applied at different geopolitical zones in Nigeria, the inadequacy of the laws will affect the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria. The paper therefore suggests an amendment to the penal code to fill the gap it has created.   Keywords: Euthanasia, Physician assisted suicide, Slippery slope, Murder, Nigeria.   Abstrak: Euthanasia telah menimbulkan konflik antara ahli akademik, peguam, tokoh agama dan juga ahli politik. Ini adalah kerana ia mematikan atau membunuh manusia sekalipun dilakukan atas dasar simpati dan dengan persetujuan mangsa. Pihak yang menentang euthanasia berpegang kepada faktor-faktor ‘slippery slope’, kesucian nyawa dan isu peninggalan. Walaupun begitu, terdapat negara yang mempraktikkan euthanasia manakala negara yang tidak berbuat demikian adalah kerana mengganggap ia sebagai satu jenayah termasuklah Nigeria. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk membincangkan berkaitan larangan perlaksanaan euthanasia berdasarkan undang-undang yang ada di Nigeria. Kaedah doktrinal digunakan untuk mencapai objektif kajian. Kedua-dua data primer dan sekunder turut digunakan dalam proses ini. Skop kajian pula hanya memfokuskan kepada peruntukan undang-undang ada dalam kanun keseksaan dan kanun jenayah. Undang-undang ini ada kaitan dengan kesalahan membunuh sama ada melalui melakukan sesuatu perbuatan atau ketinggalan. Walaupun tidak dinyatakan secara langsung, tetapi perbuatan menahan dan menarik balik rawatan perubatan yang membawa kepada kematian boleh dianggap sebagai euthanasia. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa walaupun terdapat peruntukan berhubung larangan terhadap euthanasia di bawah kanun jenayah, tetapi ia tidak mencukupi di bawah kanun keseksaan dan kedua-dua undang-undang ini adalah bebas daripada satu sama lain. Memandangkan kedua-dua undang- undang ini digunakan di zon yang berbeza di Nigeria, kelemahan undang-undang ini akan mempengaruhi pentadbiran keadilan jenayah di Nigeria. Oleh itu, artikel ini mencadangkan pindaan dilakukan kepada kanun jenayah bagi mengatasi masalah ini.   Kata Kunci: Euthanasia, ‘Physician assisted suicide’, ‘Slippery slope’, Bunuh, Nigeria.

scholarly journals THE PUNITIVE DISTINCTION ON GROUNDS OF SEX IN THE PENAL CODE OF SPAIN AND THE ORGANIC LAW 1/2004 OF 28 DECEMBER ON INTEGRAL PROTECTION MEASURES AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (84) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Jose Antonio Gonzalez-Costa
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Theoretical Method ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Gender Violence ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Legal Method ◽  
The Law

The aim of this article is to examine the punitive differences after come into force of the law 1/2004 of 28 of december, (LVG) because this law protect only women and not men, studying the differences in the law enforcement, and what criminal consequences will have, in every single case, depending on the victim, if it’s a woman or if it’s a man.In order to research the objective and fulfill tasks set the research project, the applied methods during the research progress are the following: analytical, inductive, logical, systemical. Also the method of the analysis of literature, the comparative legal method and theoretical method of research to investigate, analyse and summarize information of publications.The methods chosen are very important in analysing the Spanish law, case law materials to opinions of legislator and law scientists.Supported by the inductive and comparative method is used in order to make it able to analyse individual aspects of the law 1/2004 and the criminal laws its application and consequences in differents cases, from several theorethical conclusions.The logical and analytical method was used in order to study content of the law, its protections to the victims and punishment and if with its application the society is better and secure for everyone, analyzing the effects in the citizens.The overall object of this article “The punitive distinction on grounds of sex in the penal code and the organic law 1/2004 of 28 december on integral protection measures against gender violence” is a national human rights interests, however the direct object is national interests in the field of domestic violence and violence against the women, and the protection of the woman in the society and her freedom and development as a human being. Moreover the the application of this law creates social conflicts, make deeper the differences between man and woman and it doesn’t solve effectively the problem of the violence against the women.The subject matter of this article is the Spanish Criminal law in connection with the violence against women and its effective application and using different methods to check if the principle of equality in the law and of sexes is applied in Spain in an egalitarian and fair way. The most common cases are the physical and psychic aggressions, threats and coercion, and this is what the law 1/2004 and the Spanish criminal code try to sorted out.Also, this law is strong criticized by many sectors, and in this article it’s defended the position  that this law should be applied to both sexes, without distinction and so, to try to convert the society in a space of equality and justice.The main conclusion shows that actually in Spain, the society is suffering a very unfair law, specially for men, and does not help really to women when they are assaulted.It must to be changed this law, being applied to everyone without exceptions, that’s means, without making differences between  woman and man.

scholarly journals Remarks on the determinants of the criminal policy pursued by the courts via the example of the implementation of Article 178a § 2 of the Criminal Code and Articles 62–62a of the 2005 law on Counteracting Drug Addiction

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 13-31
Author(s):  
Anna Muszyńska
Keyword(s):  
Drug Addiction ◽  
Criminal Policy ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Penal Policy ◽  
The Law ◽  
Written Law ◽  
Criminal Legislation ◽  
The Impact

The author of the study joins the discussion on the factors shaping the criminal policy characteristic for the period of validity of the Penal Code of 1997. She does so based on a selected fragment of the legal reality, outlining the impact of the criminal legislation on the criminal policy in terms of implementation of the latter by the courts. The author uses the example of the regulations of Article 178a § 2 of the Criminal Code and Articles 62–62a of the 2005 law on Counteracting Drug Addiction concerning their normative and practical terms. Analysing the crimes indicated, which belong to common behaviours, She reflects on the complexity of relations between the written law and the law in action. In conclusion, the author emphasises that it is the law in action and the examination of its results that refl ects factors that have specific significance for the shaping of penal policy.

scholarly journals Fungsionalisasi Undang-Undang Darurat, Nomor 1 tahun 1951 sebagai Suplementasi dari Pasal 284 Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Henni Muchtar ◽  
Muhammad Prima Ersya
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Applicable Law ◽  
The People ◽  
The Law ◽  
Civil Courts ◽  
The Way

The Penal Code of Indonesia as the heritage of Colonial Regime, in some instances is not in line with the people of Indonesia. One of them is that the article 284 concerning the prohibition of adultery, that has difference in concept with the values owned by Indonesian people. Therefore, there should be a breakthrough that the article adopts contemporary condition and be in line with the way of life of the people of Indonesia, especially related the first pillar of Pancasila, that is believe in one God.   The purpose of this article is to discuss and convey the idea of the existence of Emergency Law No. 1 of 1951 concerning Temporary Measures in Organizing the Unity of the power and procedure of Civil Courts as supplementation of the article 284 of the Penal Code. This research applied normative juridical method and applicable law approach. The result of this study finds that Article 284 of the Penal Code could basically be accepted as one of the offense entities, but it is considered as lack Indonesia's spirit, even some consider that it not as a form of values in Indonesia people. The compliance between the law and the nation’s spirit is very important because the nation’s spirit is a source of material law that creates people’s legal awareness, as a guideline for law enforcement, as well as a source of the people’s law obidience. Considering the weaknesses and limitations of the article 284 of Penal Code in regulating adultery and the controversy of several articles in the draft Criminal Code which ended by the suspension of enactment and implementation, the Emergency Law No. 1 of 1951 can be enforced as supplementation of th article 284 of the Penal Code in order to maintain the balance and order in the society

scholarly journals Approaches to the Reform of the Law of Theft

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 469-490
Author(s):  
L. H. Leigh
Keyword(s):  
Penal Code ◽  
Model Penal Code ◽  
The Law

Cet article compare les propositions législatives que fait la Commission de réforme du droit du Canada (CRD) au sujet du vol, dans son Rapport n° 30, avec les dispositions du English Theft Act 1968 et du Model Penal Code. Dans son examen critique des suggestions de la CRD, l'auteur considère d'abord l'élément moral du crime de vol. Il souligne les problèmes qu'a soulevés le mot « dishonesty » devant les tribunaux anglais. La simplification que la CRD propose, à l'effet de remplacer les expressions anciennes par des formulations plus abstraites, lui semble peu satisfaisante en ce qu'elle pourrait avoir pour effet d'élargir le crime de vol. Ce danger serait d'autant plus grand que l'élément moral du vol comprend l'intention de priver temporairement la victime de sa propriété. Parmi les autres problèmes traités se trouve la notion d'apparence de droit reconduite par la CRD. La définition de la propriété semble insatisfaisante à l'auteur en ce qu'elle réfère aux biens immobiliers. L'occupation illicite d'une propriété doit-elle être considérée comme du vol ? Quels seraient alors les effets en droit criminel des règles de droit civil relatives au transfert de la propriété ? Peut-on envisager que des règles de droit criminel autonomes pourraient solutionner le problème ? En conclusion, l'auteur exprime l'opinion que les suggestions de la CRD doivent être réexaminées à la lumière de l'expérience des juridictions sur lesquelles elles sont basées.

scholarly journals Rationales: rejected, imagined and real – provocation, loss of control and extreme mental or emotional disturbance

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Bergelson
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Disturbance ◽  
Penal Code ◽  
Self Control ◽  
The Other ◽  
Model Penal Code ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Loss Of Self ◽  
The Law ◽  
Law Commission

What makes intentional killing under provocation less reprehensible than murder? The answer to this question determines the rationale for the law; and the choice of the primary rationale – justificatory or excusatory – determines the scope and fundamental features of the partial defence.In this article, I attempt to parse through two reforms – one promulgated by the Model Penal Code 1980 (MPC), the other by the Law Commission for England and Wales – and compare their versions of the defence both to each other and to the ‘loss of self-control’ defence of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in the hope of determining and appraising the governing rationales for each version of the defence. I conclude that the largely justificatory defence of provocation developed by the Law Commission (and to a lesser degree the ‘loss of self-control’ defence) is legally and morally preferable to the largely excusatory defence proposed by the MPC.

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