What is the primary reason justification defenses allow criminal acts to go unpunished?
Explanation
Justification defenses operate on the principle that while the defendant committed the act, the act itself was socially desirable or necessary under the circumstances, such as using force in self-defense.
Other questions
According to the section on Substantive Law, what does this area of law primarily include?
What is the term for the criminal act element that the government must always prove, with the exception of strict liability crimes?
What is the defining characteristic of an inchoate offense?
Under the common law, how many distinct parties to a crime were recognized?
What is the key difference between a justification defense and an excuse defense?
What type of defense is a defendant raising when they argue that the government failed to prove all the elements of the crime?
Which of the following is an example of a procedural defense?
What is the result of a successful imperfect defense?
In the context of inchoate offenses, what distinguishes an 'attempt' from 'mere preparation'?
What is the modern statutory trend regarding accomplice liability?
What is the defining feature of a vicarious liability statute?
The element of a crime that requires the criminal intent to trigger the criminal act is known as what?
What type of crime does not require the government to prove criminal intent?
Which inchoate offense involves a person asking another to commit a crime on their behalf?
What is the primary characteristic of an affirmative defense?
According to the modern trend, how are accessories after the fact typically punished compared to the main perpetrators?
A defendant claiming the government took too long to bring their case to trial would be raising which type of defense?
What are 'attendant circumstances' in the context of the elements of a crime?
A defense claiming that the government enticed the defendant into committing the crime is known as what?
What is the key element required for the inchoate crime of conspiracy?
Which of the following would be classified as an excuse defense?
What is the 'burden of proof' in the context of criminal defenses?
Under what circumstances do courts generally invalidate vicarious liability statutes?
What does the term 'Defense' encompass as a general term in criminal law?
What is required for the actus reus element when it is an 'omission to act'?
What are the two components of the burden of proof that can switch to the defendant when they raise an affirmative defense?
What type of defense is a claim that the government did not charge the defendant within the required statutory period?
What is the primary function of the 'general part' of a criminal code?
To prove a 'crime of causation,' what must the government demonstrate in addition to the other elements?
What are the two types of causation that the government must prove in a crime of causation?
Which statement best describes the legality element of a crime?
What is the key difference between a negative defense and an affirmative defense regarding evidence?
An individual who renders assistance to a criminal before and during the crime is known as what under the modern statutory trend?
What factor makes courts more likely to find that a crime is a strict liability offense?
The common law treatment of most crimes as capital offenses led to the development of complicated legal rules for which area of law?
If a defendant is successful in raising a perfect defense, what should the jury's verdict be?
What is the core argument a defendant makes when raising a justification defense?
An overt act in furtherance of a crime is a required element in some jurisdictions for which inchoate offense?
If a jury finds that a defendant is not guilty because the state failed to prove they intentionally took property, this is a result of what kind of defense?
How does the text define 'actus reus'?
Which of the following defenses challenges the state's ability to bring a case rather than the facts of the crime?
The modern term for a person who helps an offender escape responsibility after a crime has been committed is what?
What is the key principle behind vicarious liability that makes it controversial?
What does an 'overt act' in a conspiracy serve to reaffirm?
Which of the following is NOT listed as an excuse defense in the text?
What is the essential saying that an excuse defense makes, according to the text?
Even if a defendant is unsuccessful in raising an affirmative defense, what might still lead to a 'not guilty' verdict?
What type of crimes require the government to prove that a defendant possessed an item they should not have possessed?
What is the defining characteristic of an accomplice, as treated under the modern statutory trend?