Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Criminality
(7,247 words)

1. Definition and scope

Criminality (from Latin crimen, “accusation, crime”) describes the totality of behaviors that are prosecuted and penalized by the social and legal authorities of a society (Penalty). The modern definition of criminality as the “sum of behaviors that are subject to criminal punishment” can be used historically only to a limited extent, since public or state criminal law its…

Cite this page
Schwerhoff, Gerd, “Criminality”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_022793>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



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