CRIMINAL LAW. A phrase signifying the body of legal rules which define criminal offenses, prescribe their punishment, and provide for the apprehension and trial of persons charged with crime. The tendency at present is to codify this branch of the law. In New York, for ex ample, the substantive part of criminal law— that is, the part which defines criminal offenses and their penalties—is embodied in a Penal Code, while the adjective part, or the part regulating the arrest and trial of offenders, constitutes the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Constitution of the United States and the various State con stitutions contain important provisions relating to criminal procedure. See especially the Fifth and Sixth Amendments of the States Constitution, and similar clauses iu the State constitutions, securing a jury trial, indictment by a grand jury, and other rights to persons charged with crime.
The more important criminal offenses are dealt with under their respective titles.
PanuonnAmir. Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England; Bishop, New Criminal Lam (Boston, 1900) ; Robinson, Elements of American Jurisprudence (Boston, 1900) : also the Eneycloptedia of the Laws of England (Lon don, 1897) ; Archbold, Pleading. Evidence, and Practice in Criminal Cases (2c1 ed., London, 1900) ; Harris, Principles of Criminal Law (8th ed., London, 18991 : Pollock and Maitland. His tory of English. Law (241 ed., Boston, 1899) ; Stephen, History of the Criminal Law of Eng land (London, 1883) ; id., General View of the Criminal Law of England (New York, I890) ; Phillips, Com pa ratire Criminal Jurisprudence (Calcutta. 1859). See LAW, CRIMINAL. Consult also the authorities referred to under other sub ordinate or related titles, such as INSANITY; JURISPRUDENCE ; CRIM I NOLOGY ; PENOLOGY; etc.
See ACCESSORY; 1 NDICTMENT ; PLEADING; PRIN CIPAL; PROCEDURE; PUNISHMENT.