Criminal Law. The term “strict liability crimes” refers to prescribed where culpability is imposed on a defendant for doing the act which is prohibited by statute. The defendant’s state of mind (mens rea) is irrelevant for that defendant to be found guilty of committing a strict liability crime. Strict liability crimes generally have been held constitutional where the penalty is minor and excludes imprisonment.
Such crimes include, for instance, the following:
- Regulatory Offenses
- Public Welfare Offenses
- Morality Crimes (such as statutory rape, bigamy)
- Selling Liquor to Minors