January 9, 2023
To be found guilty of a crime in New Jersey, the prosecution must show that you meet the requirements for at least one type of culpability. New Jersey law includes four requirements of culpability, and one way to defend against criminal charges is to demonstrate that you don’t meet any of those. A criminal defense lawyer can help you understand whether this is a potential defense strategy for you and what other options you have.
Learn about the four general culpability requirements in New Jersey law below.
When someone commits an act purposely, they do so with intent and forethought. The prosecution has to show that the person was conscious of the potential result of the actions and chose to carry out the actions anyway.
Some crimes always require the prosecutor to demonstrate this level of culpability. To convict someone of burglary, for example, requires showing that they purposefully broke into someone else’s home with the intent of committing another crime—often theft. If prosecutors can’t demonstrate there was a purposeful intent to the break in, the more apt charge might be breaking and entering.
The majority of crimes are committed knowingly. The person who commits them is aware of the nature of the actions and what results might follow. He or she is also aware that the actions and results are against the law.
In cases where a crime is committed but someone didn’t know they were doing it, there can be a strong opportunity for defense. For example, if you knowingly smuggle contraband substances, such as drugs, into the country, you meet the “knowingly” culpability requirement for guilt of this crime.
However, what if someone gives you a stuffed animal and you truly believe it’s a gift? You might carry the stuffed animal into the country without realizing that contraband items are stored inside of it. In this case, you don’t meet this culpability requirement.
This culpability requirement refers to acting in a way that is so reckless and without regard to the consequences that it is considered criminal. The activity must be substantially different from how a reasonable person might conduct themselves, but the recklessness itself might come from not caring at all about the safety of others or being careless for other reasons.
One of the most common charges related to reckless culpability is drunk driving. The law considers it knowingly reckless to drive while intoxicated, so simply operating a vehicle when you are inebriated can demonstrate this level of culpability.
Another example might be reckless driving that is not associated with drunk driving. For example, if you hit a pedestrian and they die, you might face some type of criminal charges if prosecutors can show you were somehow reckless to a criminal degree in causing the incident.
This requirement for culpability demands that someone engage in potential harm or criminal action without seeming to be aware of the results of those actions but they should have been. To be criminally culpable under this requirement, a duty to know these things must exist. That means a reasonable person would have been aware and that you can be shown to be negligent for not knowing.
This culpability requirement can also be met if it can be demonstrated that you ignored the potential risks or results of an action, which does mean there is some overlap between the “recklessly” and “negligently” requirements.
An example of this culpability in action might be seen in a case of inappropriate use of firearms. If someone has a legally registered firearm, it’s not illegal for them to have it or even use it in certain situations. However, if a legal gun owner ignores the tenets of gun safety and causes an injury or death with his or her firearm, they may be criminally culpable due to that neglect.
In some cases, a conviction only requires that the prosecution prove one of the culpability requirements. However, which requirements are relevant in your case can change the type of conviction you’re facing, including whether or not you’re dealing with an indictable crime or disorderly persons offense.
Your level and type of culpability might also play a role in the potential consequences if you are convicted. In some cases, for example, you may be able to hope for more lenient sentencing if you were only negligent but did not purposefully, knowingly, or recklessly commit a crime.
As you can see, there are many layers that come with criminal defense. Understanding how all these layers work together is critical to launching a solid defense if you are charged with a crime. The prosecutor also has to do some work to prove culpability, and it helps to understand what level of culpability the prosecution has to prove to get to a conviction on certain charges.
Working with an experienced criminal defense attorney helps you plan a strategic defense so you can protect your rights and freedom. If you are facing a criminal charge in New Jersey—or someone you love is—call the Hernandez Law Firm, P.C., today to speak with our team. We work to understand the facts of your case and help you understand all your options for criminal defense.
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