What is the difference between actus reus and mens rea?

Can someone please tell me the difference between Actus reus and Mens rea In Law ? I can't seem to figure it out... and i have a Law exam soon :frown:

Reply 1

ben..brown

If you have a Criminal Law exam soon and you can't figure out the difference between Actus Reus and Mens rea, you've got some serious cramming to do.

For a GCSE/ALevel exam, here's a VERY BRIEF summaryt:

•

Actus Reus is the physical element of a crime. It can be in the form of an act, an omission or a state of affairs. It's the actual conduct which caused the crime. (Such as for a battery; the actus reus is the unlawful application of force (touching).

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Mens Rea is the mental element of a crime. It's what goes on inside the defendants mind. It can be in the form of direct intention, indirect (oblique) intention or recklessness. (Eg. the mens rea of a battery is is intention or recklessness).

Both are required for a crime, (apart from Strict Liability of fences where no mens rea is required).

Get your book open and learn the cases to go with.

Good luck for the exam.

Reply 2

homousandfalafel

OP

6

Original post by ben..brown

If you have a Criminal Law exam soon and you can't figure out the difference between Actus Reus and Mens rea, you've got some serious cramming to do.

For a GCSE/ALevel exam, here's a VERY BRIEF summaryt:

•

Actus Reus is the physical element of a crime. It can be in the form of an act, an omission or a state of affairs. It's the actual conduct which caused the crime. (Such as for a battery; the actus reus is the unlawful application of force (touching).

•

Mens Rea is the mental element of a crime. It's what goes on inside the defendants mind. It can be in the form of direct intention, indirect (oblique) intention or recklessness. (Eg. the mens rea of a battery is is intention or recklessness).

Both are required for a crime, (apart from Strict Liability of fences where no mens rea is required).

Get your book open and learn the cases to go with.

Good luck for the exam.

Thankyou, I appreciate it ! :biggrin:

Reply 3

Ernesaks

Original post by homousandfalafel

Can someone please tell me the difference between Actus reus and Mens rea In Law ? I can't seem to figure it out... and i have a Law exam soon :frown:

In very brief words: the objective element and the subjective one

Reply 4

new1234

18

Original post by homousandfalafel

Can someone please tell me the difference between Actus reus and Mens rea In Law ? I can't seem to figure it out... and i have a Law exam soon :frown:

Actus reus is latin for "guilty act" and mens rea is latin for "guilty mind".

What is the difference between actus reus and mens rea?

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