NCJ Number
106252
Date Published
1986
Length
117 pages
Annotation
This volume sets out the first half of the new Canadian Criminal Code proposed by the Law Reform Commission of Canada: the General Part containing rules of general application and two sections of the Special Part dealing with crimes against the person and crimes against property.
Abstract
The Code's General Part covers definitions of terms, principles of criminal liability, defenses, involvement in crime, and territorial jurisdiction. The reformed Code divides crimes against the person into two categories: crimes against personal safety and liberty, and crimes against personal security and privacy. Among the areas addressed by the first category are homicide, manslaughter, assault, threats and harassment, kidnapping, failure to rescue, and reckless driving. The second category considers unlawful surveillance and criminal intrusion. Crimes against property are also divided into two categories: theft and related crimes which redistribute property and deprive owners of their rights over it; damage and arson. The Code generally lists crimes in ascending order of gravity. According to the Law Reform Commission, the new Code uses a minimum of technical terms and avoids complex sentence structure so it can be intelligible to all Canadians.