Criminal Wrongs 
Criminal wrongs differ from civil or moral wrongs. Criminal wrongs are behaviors that harm society as 
a whole rather than one individual or entity specifically. When people violate the criminal law there are 
generally sanctions that include incarceration and fines. A crime is an act, or a failure to act, that violates 
society’s rules. The government, on behalf of society, is the plaintiff. A criminal wrong can be committed 
in many ways by individuals, groups, or businesses against individuals, businesses, governments or with no 
particular victim. 
 
Criminal Defendant 
Victim 
Examples 
Individual 
Self or with no particular victim 
Gambling or drug use 
Individual 
Other individual(s) 
Assault, battery, theft 
Individual 
Business or government 
Trespass, welfare fraud 
Group of individuals 
Individual(s) 
Conspiracy to commit murder 
Group of individuals 
Government or no particular victim 
Riot, rout, disorderly conduct 
Business entity 
Individuals 
Fraud 
Business entity 
Government or no particular victim 
Fraud, pollution, tax evasion 
 
Criminal laws reflect a society’s moral and ethical beliefs. They govern how society, through its 
government agents, holds criminal wrongdoers accountable for their actions. Sanctions or remedies such as 
incarceration, fines, restitution, community service, and restorative justice program are used to express 
societal condemnation of the criminal’s behavior. Government attorneys prosecute, or file charges against, 
criminal defendants on behalf of society, not necessarily to remedy the harm suffered by any particular 
victim. The title of a criminal prosecution reflects this: “State of California v. Jones,”, “The Commonwealth 
v. Jones,”, or “People v. Jones.” 
In a criminal jury trial (a trial in which a group of people selected from the community decides whether 
the defendant is guilty  of the crime charged) or a bench trial (a trial in which the judge decides whether 
the defendant is guilty or not) the prosecutor carries the burden of producing evidence that will convince 
the jury or judge beyond any reasonable doubt that the criminal defendant committed a violation of law 
that harmed society. To meet this burden, the prosecutor will call upon witnesses to testify and may also 
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