Elements of Crimes

Actus reus is the Latin term for 'guilty act' and refers to the physical conduct that constitutes a crime.

Causation is not an element of actus reus, but rather an element of the more general concept of criminal liability.

Mens rea is the Latin term for 'guilty mind' and refers to the mental state that accompanies a criminal act.

Strict liability is not a type of mens rea, but rather a doctrine that imposes criminal liability even in the absence of mens rea.

Causation is the causal link between an act and a result.

Legal cause is not a type of causation, but rather a doctrine that determines whether an act is the legal cause of a result.

Concurrence is the requirement that an act and a result must occur at the same time and in close proximity.

Legal concurrence is not a type of concurrence, but rather a doctrine that determines whether an act and a result are legally connected.

The burden of proof is the principle that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person committed all of the elements of the crime.

Entrapment is not a defense to a crime, but rather a doctrine that prevents the prosecution from convicting a person who was induced to commit a crime by law enforcement officers.

Mistake of fact is the principle that a person cannot be convicted of a crime if the person was acting under a mistake of fact.

Mistake of law is not a type of mistake of fact, but rather a principle that ignorance of the law is not a defense to a crime.

Duress is the principle that a person cannot be convicted of a crime if the person was acting under duress.

Legal duress is not a type of duress, but rather a doctrine that prevents the prosecution from convicting a person who was forced to commit a crime by a legal authority.

Intoxication is the principle that a person cannot be convicted of a crime if the person was intoxicated.