NCJ Number
150576
Date Published
1993
Length
449 pages
Annotation
This textbook introduces the general principles of Belgian criminal law and criminal procedure.
Abstract
The first chapter presents a historical approach by surveying classical ideas, positivism ideas, sociological theories, and social control theories about criminal law. Next, criminal law is described in its legal context, its sources and application, and its interpretation. The following chapter defines, classifies, and analyzes the offense, and presents significant disagreements in doctrine. Another chapter is devoted to the role of the offender in the criminal justice system, degrees of offender involvement, and recidivism. An extensive chapter focuses on punishment as the most significant characteristic of criminal law: its different definitions, types of punishment and their function, as well as aggravating and mitigating circumstances. The final chapter explains the rules of criminal procedure, its inseparable relation to criminal law, its sources, and its different components from the initial investigation to the execution of a sentence. An index and 49 pages of bibliographical references are appended.