offense is called an offense (act or omission) that represents a danger to society and punishable under the criminal legislation of Russia.Thoughts, desires, and intentions of the person, not found application in real life, as such, can not be considered.
Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for the following categories of offenses:
- Small gravity - a dangerous act committed by negligence or deliberately.An example of this type of crime can be a threat of injury.The maximum prison sentence in this case, can not exceed a period of two years.This period may be reduced depending on the presence of mitigating circumstances.
- Moderate - an act providing for prison sentences of up to five years, if committed intentionally or through negligence.An example of such a crime: theft of another's property.
- Violent crimes - acts committed by a person through negligence or intentionally.The maximum penalty in this case is ten years' imprisonment.An example of such an act may be theft, violation of traffic rules, resulting in death more than two persons.
should separately classify the most serious crimes are always committed for personal criminal intent.Year prison sentence for a guilty and dangerous to society act may be ten years or more, up to life imprisonment.The death penalty in Russia, as a rule, does not apply.
This distinction is determined by categories of crimes, in turn, the view and the size of the punishment.It is carried out, taking into account factors such as the nature of the danger to society of the act, the form of guilt.For example, a person who for the first time has committed a minor offense, in the case of complete repentance and confession of guilt can be completely exempted from criminal liability or probation.A citizen whose guilt for committing a particularly serious crime is proved, regardless of previous convictions, remorse, etc., to fully suffer deserved punishment.Differentiation in terms of the severity of the crimes is necessary from a legal point of view.The penalty, for example, for petty theft can not be equated to that of murder.
Under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the category of "most serious crimes" includes:
- murder committed by a particularly cruel manner;
- grievous harm;
- kidnapping;
- rape;
- trafficking in human beings;
- violent acts against a minor;
- looting on a large scale;
- legalization of tangible assets obtained in the course of committing a crime;
- diversion;
- accepting a bribe;
- attempt to murder a law enforcement officer.
In the category of "most serious crimes" may also be assigned actions to mass destruction of a particular group of people based on their race or ethnicity (genocide), the massive destruction of the natural environment, flora and fauna, as well as conducting activities that lead to environmental disaster(ecocide).
In judicial practice, Russia has the concept of a limitation period, that is, the period of time that must elapse from the moment the crime, if for some reason remains unsolved, as long as the criminal prosecution of the perpetrator ofthe crime becomes impossible.For the most serious crimes provided the maximum limitation period is twenty years.The time starts from the beginning of the investigation of the case.For some crimes the statute of limitations is not provided.For example, the genocide.Unfortunately, in practice, the possibility of disclosing the crime committed a few years ago, is extremely small.
