THE CONCEPT OF A CRIME, ITS ELEMENTS, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS

Abstract

The categorical definition of crime lies at the heart of every system of criminal justice; yet its conceptual boundaries, normative content, and analytical structure remain contested. Modern doctrine converges on a four-element model—object, objective side, subject, and subjective side—originally formalised by continental scholars and later adapted in common-law jurisdictions through actus reus and mens rea analysis. This article investigates the intellectual evolution of the concept of crime, elucidates the legal meaning of each constituent element, and compares their doctrinal treatment in civil-law and common-law traditions with specific reference to Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation, and Anglo-American jurisprudence. The findings demonstrate that an integrated, element-by-element evaluation remains indispensable for the legitimate attribution of criminal liability in contemporary legal practice, while indicating avenues for harmonising terminology and evidential thresholds across jurisdictions.