Concept of Crime in the New Criminal Code

The Criminal Act, No. 140/1961 Sb., was amended many times during its effectiveness. The amendments reacted mostly to the actual needs given by changes of crime development. During the 1990s it became obvious that these changes could not be sustainable for the future. Recodification of criminal law was prepared, and finally approved by the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The new Criminal Act came into force on 1st January 2010. The purpose of my thesis is to analyse the concept and classification of offences in the new Criminal Act. The thesis consists of eight chapters, each of them dealing with different aspects of the concept and classification of offences. Chapter One is an introduction briefly explaining the need for the new Criminal Act. The introduction also includes a short outline of the thesis. Chapter Two defines basic terminology used in the thesis (the definition of an offence, the concept of an offence and the classification of offences). Chapter Three examines the historical development of the concept of an offence and categories of offences. This chapter focuses on the Austrian Criminal Act 1787, the Austrian Criminal Act 1803, the Austrian Criminal Act 1852, draft bills of the Criminal Acts 1926 and 1937, the Criminal Act 1950 and the Criminal Act No.140/1961 Sb. Chapter Four..