Scribd
Upload
16 views

2.02 General Requirements of Culpability

This document outlines the general requirements of culpability or mental state for criminal offenses. It defines four levels of culpability - purposely, knowingly, recklessly, and negligently - and explains what mental state is required to meet each level. For example, a person acts purposely if it is their conscious objective to engage in certain conduct or cause a certain result. The document also discusses how the required level of culpability applies to all material elements of an offense, and can be satisfied by a higher level of culpability.

Uploaded by

lawdog22
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
16 views

2.02 General Requirements of Culpability

This document outlines the general requirements of culpability or mental state for criminal offenses. It defines four levels of culpability - purposely, knowingly, recklessly, and negligently - and explains what mental state is required to meet each level. For example, a person acts purposely if it is their conscious objective to engage in certain conduct or cause a certain result. The document also discusses how the required level of culpability applies to all material elements of an offense, and can be satisfied by a higher level of culpability.

Uploaded by

lawdog22
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

2.02 General Requirements of Culpability.

(1) Minimum Requirements of Culpability. Except as provided in Section 2.!" a person is not
#uilty of an offense unless $e acted purposely" %no&in#ly" rec%lessly or ne#li#ently" as t$e la&
may require" &it$ respect to eac$ material element of t$e offense.
(2) 'inds of Culpability (efined.
(a) )urposely.
* person acts purposely &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en+
(i) if t$e element involves t$e nature of $is conduct or a result t$ereof" it is $is conscious ob,ect
to en#a#e in conduct of t$at nature or to cause suc$ a result- and
(ii) if t$e element involves t$e attendant circumstances" $e is a&are of t$e existence of suc$
circumstances or $e believes or $opes t$at t$ey exist.
(b) 'no&in#ly.
* person acts %no&in#ly &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en+
(i) if t$e element involves t$e nature of $is conduct or t$e attendant circumstances" $e is a&are
t$at $is conduct is of t$at nature or t$at suc$ circumstances exist- and
(ii) if t$e element involves a result of $is conduct" $e is a&are t$at it is practically certain t$at $is
conduct &ill cause suc$ a result.
(c) Rec%lessly.
* person acts rec%lessly &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en $e consciously
disre#ards a substantial and un,ustifiable ris% t$at t$e material element exists or &ill result from
$is conduct. .$e ris% must be of suc$ a nature and de#ree t$at" considerin# t$e nature and
purpose of t$e actor/s conduct and t$e circumstances %no&n to $im" its disre#ard involves a #ross
deviation from t$e standard of conduct t$at a la&0abidin# person &ould observe in t$e actor/s
situation.
(d) 1e#li#ently.
* person acts ne#li#ently &it$ respect to a material element of an offense &$en $e s$ould be
a&are of a substantial and un,ustifiable ris% t$at t$e material element exists or &ill result from
$is conduct. .$e ris% must be of suc$ a nature and de#ree t$at t$e actor/s failure to perceive it"
considerin# t$e nature and purpose of $is conduct and t$e circumstances %no&n to $im" involves
a #ross deviation from t$e standard of care t$at a reasonable person &ould observe in t$e actor/s
situation.
(2) Culpability Required 3nless 4t$er&ise )rovided. 5$en t$e culpability sufficient to establis$
a material element of an offense is not prescribed by la&" suc$ element is establis$ed if a person
acts purposely" %no&in#ly or rec%lessly &it$ respect t$ereto.
(6) )rescribed Culpability Requirement *pplies to *ll Material Elements. 5$en t$e la& definin#
an offense prescribes t$e %ind of culpability t$at is sufficient for t$e commission of an offense"
&it$out distin#uis$in# amon# t$e material elements t$ereof" suc$ provision s$all apply to all t$e
material elements of t$e offense" unless a contrary purpose plainly appears.
(!) Substitutes for 1e#li#ence" Rec%lessness and 'no&led#e. 5$en t$e la& provides t$at
ne#li#ence suffices to establis$ an element of an offense" suc$ element also is establis$ed if a
person acts purposely" %no&in#ly or rec%lessly. 5$en rec%lessness suffices to establis$ an
element" suc$ element also is establis$ed if a person acts purposely or %no&in#ly. 5$en actin#
%no&in#ly suffices to establis$ an element" suc$ element also is establis$ed if a person acts
purposely.
(7) Requirement of )urpose Satisfied if )urpose 8s Conditional. 5$en a particular purpose is an
element of an offense" t$e element is establis$ed alt$ou#$ suc$ purpose is conditional" unless t$e
condition ne#atives t$e $arm or evil sou#$t to be prevented by t$e la& definin# t$e offense.
(9) Requirement of 'no&led#e Satisfied by 'no&led#e of :i#$ )robability. 5$en %no&led#e
of t$e existence of a particular fact is an element of an offense" suc$ %no&led#e is establis$ed if
a person is a&are of a $i#$ probability of its existence" unless $e actually believes t$at it does not
exist.
(;) Requirement of 5ilfulness Satisfied by *ctin# 'no&in#ly. * requirement t$at an offense be
committed &ilfully is satisfied if a person acts %no&in#ly &it$ respect to t$e material elements
of t$e offense" unless a purpose to impose furt$er requirements appears.
(<) Culpability as to 8lle#ality of Conduct. 1eit$er %no&led#e nor rec%lessness or ne#li#ence as
to &$et$er conduct constitutes an offense or as to t$e existence" meanin# or application of t$e
la& determinin# t$e elements of an offense is an element of suc$ offense" unless t$e definition of
t$e offense or t$e Code so provides.
(1) Culpability as (eterminant of =rade of 4ffense. 5$en t$e #rade or de#ree of an offense
depends on &$et$er t$e offense is committed purposely" %no&in#ly" rec%lessly or ne#li#ently" its
#rade or de#ree s$all be t$e lo&est for &$ic$ t$e determinative %ind of culpability is establis$ed
&it$ respect to any material element of t$e offense.

You might also like