Das Strafgesetzbuch Kanadas[1] (französisch Code criminel[2]) (engl. Criminal Code, franz. Code Criminal) ist ein Gesetz, welches einen großen Teil der Straftatbestände und des Strafverfahrensrechts in Kanada kodifiziert. Der offizielle Langformtitel des Gesetzes lautet "An Act respecting the criminal law" (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, as amended) (übersetzt etwa: Ein Gesetz betreffend das Strafrecht, R.S.C. 1985, Kap. C-46, neue Fassung). Artikel 91(27) des Constitution Act, 1867 regelt die ausschließliche Zuständigkeit des nationalen Parlaments (im Gegensatz zu den Bundesstaaten) für das Strafrecht Kanadas.
Das Strafgesetzbuch enthält einige Rechtfertigungs- und Entschuldigungsgründe (defences), die meisten sind aber Teil des Common Law statt des kodifizierten Statute Law. Wichtige kanadische Strafgesetze, die nicht Teil des Strafgesetzbuches sind, sind der Firearms Act, der Controlled Drugs and Substances Act bezüglich illegaler Drogen, der Canada Evidence Act, der Food and Drugs Act bezüglich Lebensmitteln, der Youth Criminal Justice Act (der etwa dem deutschen [[Jugendgerichtsgesetz entspricht) und der Contraventions Act, der minder schwere Vergehen betrifft und somit eher dem deutschen OWiG entspricht.
One of the conveniences of the criminal code was that it constituted the principle that no person would be able to be convicted of a crime unless otherwise specifically outlined and stated in a statute. This legal document has played a major part in Canada's history and has also helped form other legal acts and laws, For example the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. [3]
History
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The Criminal Code was first enacted in July 1892 after being a pet project of the Minister of Justice of the time, Sir John Sparrow David Thompson.[4] It was based on a drafted code called "the Stephen Code", written by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen as part of a Royal Commission in England in 1879, and influenced by the writings of Canadian Jurist George Burbidge. Canada's criminal code followed much of England's 1878 bill. However Canada wanted to have a more precise legal document that outlined all criminal laws.
Structure
BearbeitenThe main body of the Criminal Code is divided into the following major components:
- Part I – General
- Part II – Offences Against Public Order
- Part II.1 – Terrorism
- Part III – Firearms and Other Weapons
- Part IV – Offences Against the Administration of Law and Justice
- Part V – Sexual Offences, Public Morals and Disorderly Conduct
- Part VI – Invasion of Privacy
- Part VII – Disorderly Houses, Gaming and Betting
- Part VIII – Offences Against the Person and Reputation
- Part IX – Offences Against Rights of Property
- Part X – Fraudulent Transactions Relating to Contracts and Trade
- Part XI – Wilful and Forbidden Acts in Respect of Certain Property
- Part XII – Offences Relating to Currency
- Part XII.1 – Instruments and Literature For Illicit Drug Use
- Part XII.2 – Proceeds of Crime
- Part XIII – Attempts-Conspiracies-Accessories
- Part XIV – Jurisdiction
- Part XV – Special Procedure and Powers
- Part XVI – Compelling Appearance of an Accused Before a Justice and Interim Release
- Part XVII – Language of Accused
- Part XVIII – Procedure on Preliminary Inquiry
- Part XIX – Indictable Offences-Trial Without a Jury
- Part XIX.1 – Nunavut Court of Justice
- Part XX – Procedure in Jury Trials and General Provisions
- Part XX.1 – Mental Disorder
- Part XXI – Appeals-Indictable Offences
- Part XXI.1 – Applications for Ministerial Review-Miscarriages of Justice
- Part XXII – Procuring Attendance
- Part XXIII – Sentencing
- Part XXIV – Dangerous Offenders and Long-Term Offenders
- Part XXV – Effect and Enforcement of Recognizances
- Part XXVI – Extraordinary Remedies
- Part XXVII – Summary Convictions
- Part XXVIII – Miscellaneous
The main body is followed by schedules (i.e. appendices) relating to some of the above-mentioned Parts and a series of prescribed legal forms, such as Form 5 which sets out the proper legal wording for a search warrant.
Amendments
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The Criminal Code has been revised numerous times, including the consolidation of federal statutes that occurred during 1955 and 1985. One of the major revisions of the code occurred with the passage of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–69, whose provisions included, among other things, the decriminalization of homosexual acts between consenting adults, the legalization of abortion, contraception and lotteries, new gun ownership restrictions as well as the authorization of breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers.
The criminal code has changed as society has advanced. The introduction of technology has pushed for new laws to be passed. For example laws against the use of cellphones while driving as well as cyber crimes. The Criminal Code, in its present form, is part of the 1985 consolidated statutes with further major amendments since that year.
By means of legal challenges under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, numerous sections of the Criminal Code have been struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada as infringing on a constitutional right as defined in this 1982 constitutional document. The offending sections are usually removed altogether, or heavily qualified, when new laws are passed. In other instances, such as Section 287 regarding qualified abortions, the Canadian Parliament does not repeal (i.e. erase) the infringing section from the text of the Criminal Code and so the remaining text is simply null, void and unenforceable by the police and the criminal justice system.
Before the terrorist attack against the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the Criminal Code contained almost no specific reference to terrorism. After that event, the Canadian Parliament passed Bill C-36, the Anti-terrorism Act (S.C. 2001, c.41) which received royal assent on December 18, 2001. This statute added an entire new component to the Criminal Code. Falling between Part II and Part III is now Part II.1 – Terrorism, which contains numerous provisions regarding the financing of terrorism, the establishment of a list of terrorist entities, the freezing of property, the forfeiture of property, and participating, facilitating, instructing and harbouring of terrorism.
Related laws
BearbeitenYoung persons, ages 12 to 17, may be charged with offences under the Criminal Code, are prosecuted in much the same way as adults under the Criminal Code, and are subject to the same laws of evidence. However, sentencing, procedure and evidence law are modified to some extent by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Depending on the severity of the crime, the Crown Prosecutor may argue for a youth to receive an adult sentence after the age of 14. In this case, the judge will make the decision. Under the Young Offenders Act, the youth would be transferred to adult court in order to receive an adult sentence. This is no longer the case. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) the young person would receive the adult sentence in youth court.[5][6][NB 1]
If the young person is given an adult custody sentence, he/she will attend a youth facility until becoming an adult at the age of 18. At this time it will be decided if the youth is transferred to an adult facility, or if he/she is to remain at the youth facility until the age of 20. If an adult sentence is given, the young person's name will be published and he/she will receive a permanent adult criminal record.
In 2012, Bill C-10 made amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act regarding youth and adult sentences.[7][NB 2]
See also
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BearbeitenReferences
BearbeitenExternal links
Bearbeiten- Criminal Code (Department of Justice, Canada)
- Criminal Code at The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Canadian Legal Information Institute contains the CCoC in a searchable database.
[[:Kategorie:Criminal codes]] [[:Kategorie:Canadian federal legislation]] [[:Kategorie:1892 in Canadian law]] [[:Kategorie:Legal history of Canada]] [[:Kategorie:Canadian criminal law]]
- ↑ The citation of this Act by this short title is authorised by the English text of section 1 of this Act.
- ↑ The citation of this Act by this short title is authorised by the French text of section 1 of this Act.
- ↑ 1892, Canada's Criminal Code. In: Duhaime.org – Learn Law. Abgerufen am 19. September 2016 (amerikanisches Englisch).
- ↑ Criminal Code, 1892, SC 1892, c.29
- ↑ http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/yj-jj/ycja-lsjpa/back-hist.html+(Seite dauerhaft nicht mehr abrufbar, festgestellt im Dezember 2016.)
- ↑ Archived copy. Archiviert vom am 2. August 2010; abgerufen am 26. Juli 2009.
- ↑ Legislative Summary of Bill C-10: 9 Amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act [Bill C-10, Part 4, Clauses 167–204 (Formerly Bill C-4)]. In: www.parl.gc.ca.
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