Criminal Code


Definition of Criminal Code

The criminal code is a code that lays out all of the crimes and their punishments for a particular area. States have their own criminal codes, and so does the federal government. Crimes and punishments can vary from state to state, which is why each state often has its own criminal code.



Criminal Code Explained

A criminal code can have a wide variety of crimes listed on it, some of which are more severe than others. For example, a criminal code for the state of Virginia may include petty theft, and it may also include murder in the first degree. For petty theft, a person may be sentenced to 10–30 days in prison, whereas for first-degree murder, a person may be sentenced to life in prison.





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