US Criminal Justice in Credo: General Information

Law governing the powers and processes of administrative agencies. The term is sometimes used also of law (i.e., rules, regulations) developed by agencies in the course of their operation.

The law governing the affairs of a Christian Church, especially the law created or recognized by papal authority in the Roman Catholic Church. In the Roman Catholic Church, the body of law based on the legislation of the councils (both ecumenical and local) and the popes, as well as the bishops (for diocesan matters). It is the law of the church courts and is formally distinguished from other parts of ecclesiastical law, such as liturgical law. However, when liturgical law overlaps with canon law, canon law normally prevails.

The part of a country’s law that deals with the rights, etc of its citizens, rather than crimes.

The principles and rules drawn chiefly from custom, determining the rights and obligations of commercial transactions.

System of law that prevails in England and in countries colonized by England. The name is derived from the medieval theory that the law administered by the king's courts represented the common custom of the realm.

The branch of law dealing with unlawful acts which are offences against the public and society generally.

Body of rules considered legally binding in the relations between national states, also known as the law of nations. It is sometimes called public international law in contrast to private international law (or conflict of laws), which regulates private legal affairs affected by more than one jurisdiction.

Legislation dealing with human beings in their capacity as workers or wage earners. The Industrial Revolution, by introducing the machine and factory production, greatly expanded the class of workers dependent on wages as their source of income.

System of law concerning navigation and overseas commerce. Because ships sail from nation to nation over seas no nation owns, nations need to seek agreement over customs related to shipping.

The statutes, codes, and common traditions relating to and executed by military courts for the discipline, trial, and punishment of military personnel.

The study of crime, society's response to it, and its prevention, including examination of the environmental, hereditary, or psychological causes of crime, modes of criminal investigation and conviction, and the efficacy of punishment or correction (see prison) as compared with forms of treatment or rehabilitation.

In philosophy, the study and evaluation of human conduct in the light of moral principles.

Science or study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interaction with the environment. Psychologists study processes of sense perception, thinking, learning, cognition, emotions and motivations, personality, abnormal behavior, interactions between individuals, and interactions with the environment.

Scientific study of human social behavior. As the study of humans in their collective aspect, sociology is concerned with all group activities—economic, social, political, and religious.

A form of behavior characterized by physical or verbal attack. It may appear either appropriate and self-protective.

A number of repressive puritanical laws of the colonial period, forbidding any secular activity on Sundays.

Civil rights are guarantees of equal social opportunities and equal protection under the law regardless of race, religion, sex, sexuality, or other personal characteristics. These personal rights are guaranteed by the country/state to its citizens. Civil rights incorporates the belief that governments should not arbitrarily act to infringe these rights, and that individuals and groups, through political action, have a legitimate role in determining and influencing what constitutes them.

Laws introduced in Britain in 1804 to protect domestic farmers against foreign competition by the imposition of a heavy duty on foreign corn: repealed in 1846. These laws were used to regulate the export or import of cereals in order to maintain an adequate supply for consumers and a secure price for producers.

The right of a state to confiscate private property for public use, payment usually being made to the owners in compensation.

Group of people organized for a common purpose, often criminal.

Attempts to legislate the right to own and bear arms. Gun control represents legislative, administrative, and enforcement attempts to regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, and use of firearms.

Person held by another as a guarantee that certain actions or promises will or will not be carried out. During periods of internal turmoil, insurgents often seize hostages.

Rights (as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all persons. A right is an entitlement that is usually encoded in a legal context. One can distinguish between human rights and citizenship rights. citizenship rights are guaranteed by governments for nationals of a particular territory, whereas human rights are thought to be geographically and politically universal.

Rules of conduct of any organized society, however simple or small, that are enforced by threat of punishment if they are violated.

In law, an obligation of one party to another, usually to compensate financially. It is a fundamental aspect of tort law, although liability may also arise from duties entered into by special agreement.

Secret society reputed to control organized crime such as gambling, loansharking, drug traffic, prostitution, and protection; connected with the Camorra of Naples.

Criminal activities organized and coordinated on a national scale, often with international connections.

A police organization operating for the most part in secrecy and especially for the political purposes of its government often with terroristic methods.

Violence is an aggressive form of behavior. It is an intentional act against another person. Generally, violence is a physical act, although it can take the form of bullying. It is illegal to threaten a person with violence. People can suffer mental damage from threats of violence as much as people suffer physical damage from physical attacks.