Comparative Concepts of Criminal Law

Description

This book is unique in the sense that it introduces the reader to the fundamental concepts and rules of substantive criminal law in a comparative way, and not just to the criminal law system of one specific jurisdiction. Compared with other fields of law, such as contract law and property law, comparative research into the so-called general part of criminal law is quite a recent phenomenon within academia, never mind transmitting this knowledge to students of law. The increasing Europeanization of criminal law and policy makes such a comparative approach even more necessary. This handbook therefore fills a legal educational gap by exploring basic concepts of substantive criminal law in three major European legal systems: the common law system of England/Wales and the civil law systems of Germany and the Netherlands. Each chapter focuses on a specific concept or doctrine that is necessary to determine criminal liability (e.g. actus reus, mens rea, defenses, inchoate offenses). Throughout, the book also highlig