INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL LAW
INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL LAW WHAT IS CRIME? Criminal law deals with crime alone. It is difficult to give a correct and precise definition of crime. Austin : “ Any act or omission which the law punishes .” Blackstone: Two definitions : 1. “An act committed or omitted in violation of public law forbidding or commanding it.” 2. “ A crime is aviolation of the public rights and duties due to the whole community considered as a community. NEED FOR CRIMINAL LAW/PENAL LAW Personal safety, particularly security of life, liberty and property, iis of utmost importance to any individual Maintenance of peace and order is absolutely essential in any society for human beings to live peacefully and without fear of injury to their lives and property. This is possible only in states where the penal law is effective and strong enough to deal with the violations of law. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF INDIAN PENAL LAW Under the ancient Hindu kings the administrati