What Is The Only Crime Defined By The Constitution ?
The US constitution has just defined a single crime and that is ‘Treason’. Although there is more than just one crime defined in the US Constitution, treason is the only one that has been well explained. The crime of treason has been described in the US Constitution as the most treacherous one among all and is spelled out in great details in Article 3, Section 3 of the Constitution. Other punishable crimes that are briefly mentioned include piracies, felonies, and counterfeiting. |
Article 3 of Section 3 in the Constitution of the US defines treason as follows:
“Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.”
The article also clearly mentions that any punishment for treason can be decided just by the US Congress. However, no attainder of treason should involve in forfeiture, expect during the life of the attainted individual.
Other small crimes briefly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution include Counterfeiting, Piracies, and Felonies. The crime of counterfeiting money is spelled out in Clause 6 of Section 8 under Article 1 of the Constitution. This particular article also calls for punishment of the guilty. This law was banned in the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. However, the ban was lifted and the law was reinforced in the 21st Amendment. Piracies and felonies have also been defined in Article 1, Section 8 as crimes committed on high seas and against the Common Law of the Nation.
More Articles :
|
