Русско-англо-русский юридический словарь

Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It regulates social conduct and prescribes whatever is threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral welfare of people. It includes the punishment of people who violate these laws. Criminal law varies according to jurisdiction, and differs from civil law, where emphasis is more on dispute resolution and victim compensation than on punishment. (Wikipedia)

According to Black’s Law Dictionary, criminal law is “the body of law defining offenses against the community at large, regulating how suspects are investigated, charged, and tried, and establishing punishments for convicted offenders.” The earliest known use of the term in English dates back to the 18th century. It’s also termed penal law and deals with wrongdoings that are a threat to all of society, such as rape, murder, and other such heinous offenses. (Thomson Reuters Legal Glossary)