abetting: encouraging a person to commit a crime
absolute liability offences: offences that don’t require mens rea, but also don’t offer a defence
accessing child pornography: knowingly consuming any representation of child pornography
accessory after the fact: when someone knowingly receives, comforts, or aids a perpetrator in escaping from the police
actus reus: ”guilty act”...voluntary action, omission, or state of being that is prohibited by CCC
advertising sexual services: public advertising of prostitution services by a third party
aggravated assault: wounding, maiming, disfiguring, or endangering the life of a victim
aggravated sexual assault: sexual assault that maims, disfigures, or endangers the life of the victim
aiding: helping a person commit a criminal offence
assault: threatened or actual physical contact without consent
assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm: using a weapon during assault, or when injury has serious consequences for victim’s comfort and health
attempt: the intention to commit a crime, but it’s not completed
betting, pool-setting, book-making, etc.: conducting illegal betting operations
breaking and entering: gaining entrance to a property without consent, and with the intention of committing another indictable offence
child pornography: any intimate and/or sexual representation of someone under 18
colour of right: the honest belief that a person owns or has permission to use an item
conspiracy: when two or more people make an agreement/plan to commit an illegal act, even if the act wasn’t carried out
controlled substance: any drug listed in Schedules I to IV of the CDSA
co-perpetrator: when there is more than one perpetrator
crime: an act, or omission of an act, that is prohibited and punishable by federal statute law
Crime Severity Index (CSI): an index that measures overall number and severity of crimes reported to police...value of 100 in 2006 is used as baseline
Criminal Code of Canada (CCC): federal statute containing most of Canada’s criminal laws
criminal law: the category of public law that prohibits and punishes acts that injure people, property, and/or society as a whole
culpable homicide: killing for which someone could be held legally responsible
dangerous operation of a motor vehicle: operating motor vehicle recklessly, so that the safety or lives of others are in danger
distributing child pornography: sharing of any representation of child porn
failure to stop at the scene of an accident: essentially a hit-and-run
first degree murder: murder that is planned and deliberate, is contracted, causes the death of peace officer, or is committed while committing another serious offence
fraud: intentionally deceiving someone in order to cause a loss of property, money, or service
general intent: desire to commit a wrongful act with no ulterior motive or purpose
homicide: directly or indirectly causing the death of another human being
hybrid offences: crimes that may be processed as either summary or indictable offences, depending on Crown’s choice
impaired driving: operation of a motor vehicle while legally impaired because of drugs or alcohol
indictable offences: more serious crime carrying a heavier sentence
infanticide: killing of newborn infant by its mother
intent: state of mind in which a person desires to carry out a wrongful act, knows what the results will be, and is reckless regarding the consequences...may be used to prove mens rea
keeping a gaming or betting house: where host charges fees to gamblers
knowledge: awareness of certain facts...may be used to prove mens rea
laundering proceeds of crime: transfer of cash or other property to conceal its illegal origin
making child pornography: production of any representation of child pornography
manslaughter: any culpable homicide that is not classified as murder or infanticide
mens rea: ”guilty mind”...deliberate intention to commit a prohibited act
mischief: willful destroying or damaging property or data, interfering with the lawful use of property or data, or interfering with any person in the lawful use of property or data
motive: the reason why a person committed a criminal act
murder: intentional killing of another human
non-culpable homicide: killing for which someone is not held legally responsible
obtaining material benefit from sexual services: earning money from the sexual services performed by others
obtaining sexual services for consideration: buying sex for money
party to common intention: the shared responsibility among criminals for any additional offences that are committed in the course of committing the originally planned crime
perpetrator: person who commits a criminal offence
possessing child pornography: possession of any representation of child pornography
possession: state of having knowledge of and control over something
possession for the purpose of trafficking: being in possession of controlled substance for the purpose of selling/distributing to others
possession of a controlled substance: being found in possession of a controlled substance
possession of stolen property: possession of goods knowingly obtained through the commission of an offence
procuring for the purpose of prostitution: recruiting persons to supply sexual services for money
prostitution: act of engaging in sexual services for money
public mischief: providing false information causing police to start or continue an investigation without cause
quasi-criminal laws: laws covering less serious offences
recklessness: taking an unjustifiable risk that a reasonable person would not take...may be used to prove mens rea
robbery: theft of property using violence or threat of violence
specific intent: committing one wrong act as a step towards committing another wrong act
second degree murder: murder that is intentional, or results from harm inflicted on the victim to a degree that death is likely
sexual assault: uninvited, non-consensual sexual touching
sexual assault with a weapon, threats to a third party, or causing bodily harm: sexual assault using a weapon, threats made to a third party, or causing physical injury
strict liability offences: offences that don’t require mens rea, but may offer defence of due diligence
summary conviction offence: less serious crime carrying a lighter sentence
theft: taking property permanently, or temporarily, without colour of right
theft over $5000: theft of property worth more than $5000
theft under $5000: theft of property worth less than $5000
trafficking in a controlled substance: the selling, giving, transporting, or distributing of a controlled substance
willful blindness: form of recklessness where one closes their mind to the possible consequences of their actions...may be used to prove mens rea
Blair, A., Costiniuk, W., Moles, G., O’Malley, L., & Wasserman, A. (2009). Law in Action - Understanding Canadian Law (2nd Ed.). Pearson.
Canada’s Most Dangerous Places 2020. August 23, 2022. Maclean’s. https://www.macleans.ca/canadas-most-dangerous-places-2020/
Controlled Drugs & Substances Act. August 26, 2022. Government of Canada. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/FullText.html
Crime & Justice Statistics (August 23, 2022). Statistics Canada. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects-start/crime_and_justice
Criminal Code. August 11, 2023. Justice Laws Website. Government of Canada. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/
Gibson , D.L., Murphy, T.G., Jarman, F.E., & Grant, D. (2003). All About Law (5th Ed.). Thomson Nelson.
Is That Legal? August 26, 2022. West Coast LEAF. https://westcoastleaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Is-That-Legal_Oct-2020-corrected.pdf
List of Hybrid Offences. August 3, 2024. The Criminal Law Notebook by Peter Dostal. https://criminalnotebook.ca/index.php/List_of_Hybrid_Offences
List of Straight Indictable Offences. August 3, 2014. The Criminal Law Notebook by Peter Dostal. https://criminalnotebook.ca/index.php/List_of_Straight_Indictable_Offences
List of Summary Conviction Offences. August 3, 2024. The Criminal Law Notebook by Peter Dostal. https://criminalnotebook.ca/index.php/List_of_Summary_Conviction_Offences