A Modern View of the Criminal Law explains the nature of criminal law and classifies the leading crimes in English law. This book describes the application of the criminal law both in private life and as it may affect the public or public authority. Organized into four parts encompassing 23 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the fundamental principles and purposes of the criminal law. This text then examines the deterrent theory, which is regarded by some legal thinkers to be the most important function of criminal justice. Other chapters consider the common breakdown of crime into indictable and summary offenses, which broadly makes a distinction between minor and serious violations of the law. This book discusses as well the classification of the law of crime as a whole. The final chapter deals with the reforms in various areas of criminal law. This book is a valuable resource for lawyers.