The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines a crime as, "an offence punishable by law illegal acts as a whole... Black's Law Dictionary purports a crime to be, " social harm that the law makes punishable; the breach of a legal duty treated as the subject matter of a criminal proceeding" and criminal law as, "the branch or division of the law which treats of crimes and their punishments." ... For example, to a certain degree, many legal systems have moved away from the harsh practices of public torture, mutilation, banishment, and public hangings to more humane treatment. ... The Clotworth...

• Word Count: 4107
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate