D. Criminal Offences

• Author: Kent Roach
• Profession: Faculty of Law and Centre of Criminology. University of Toronto
• Pages: 5-6

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Criminal law in Canada is enacted only by the federal Parliament. The Criminal Code contains many offences, ranging from traditional crimes such as murder, assault, robbery, and theft to newer crimes such as driving with a blood alcohol level over 80. Some offences such as assault or sexual assault protect bodily integrity, while others such as

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theft protect property. Crimes such as firearms and drunk-driving of-fences attempt to prevent conduct that presents a significant risk of harm to others. Crimes against the possession and sale of illegal drugs or obscene material may prevent harm, but they also proclaim standards of socially acceptable behaviour. Criminal laws are primarily designed to denounce and to punish inherently wrongful behaviour, and to deter people from...