mens rea

the malicious or blameworthy state of mind (Latin, “guilty mind”) that must be proved in addition to the actus reus to establish criminal responsibility and secure a conviction. It involves a conscious disregard for the law, which is presumed to be known by the defendant. For some crimes, the mens rea may be recklessness or negligence rather than a deliberate intention to bring about certain consequences. Also called criminal intent.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS)

Sorry, "jenkins-activity-survey-jas" is not in the Dictionary of Psychology. Please report to APA if you believe this is an error.