The Social Danger of Crime and its Reflection in the Body of a Crime

The discussion about the social danger of crime is an important component of the criminal law discourse, which has significantly been updated in connection with the criticism of current criminalization practice. However, its content is sorely lacking in applied research aimed at translating high political science and sociological generalizations into the language of law. To this end, the issue of reflecting public danger in the body of a crime, an instrumental category related to determining the basis of criminal liability, should be a necessary addition to the discussion. The analysis shows that modern criminal law and the practice of its application do not strictly adhere to any one of the two concepts of composition presented in the doctrine: real or normative. This creates significant difficulties in the coordinated application of criminal and criminal procedure laws, as well as creates theoretical difficulties in interpreting the corpus delicti. Based on the results of a textual analysis of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, a study of the practice of constitutional interpretation of the norms of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, the current practice of courts of general jurisdiction and the results of scientific discussions, the paper describes the current state of the problem as to indication of the signs of public danger of crime in the law and identifies the prospects for its solution.

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