Criminal law chapter 1 quizlet

The first principle of criminal law; no one can be convicted of, or punished for, a crime unless the law defined the crime and prescribed the punishment before the person engaged in the behavior that was defined as a crime; no crime or punishment without law.
Articulates the principle of legality.
Undermine the 'central values' of free societies.

Criminal Law Law and Legal Definition.
In the U.S., substantive criminal law originated for the most part in common law, which was later codified in federal and state statutes.
Modern criminal law has been affected considerably by the social sciences, especially in the areas of sentencing, legal research, legislation, and rehabilitation.