Re:Why I did not go to jail (2014)
by throwaway8581 on Monday March 08, 2021 @04:11PM
(#26391609)
Ignorance of the law is indeed not an excuse. But all that means is that it’s not a legal excuse, as in it’s literally not a defense you can raise. It says nothing about the morality of criminalizing innocent conduct.
Many regulatory crimes require no mens rea at all. And even more criminalize things that no reasonable person would expect to be a crime. Criminal punishment is supposed to be for despicable conduct, not morally innocent behavior.
Many regulatory crimes require no mens rea at all. And even more criminalize things that no reasonable person would expect to be a crime. Criminal punishment is supposed to be for despicable conduct, not morally innocent behavior.