This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
intenté guindarme (vs colgarme)
una frase suya, que hago mía
Nov 12, 2018 21:42
5 yrs ago
12 viewers *
Spanish term

crimina culposa

Spanish to English Law/Patents Law (general) Spanish Criminal Law
I realise this isn't strictly a Spanish query, given that it's Latin, but it relates to a concept in Spain's criminal law system, so I'm hoping some experts from there can help me with this.

El Código Penal de 1995 ha variado sustancialmente la naturaleza de la imprudencia, pues determina, al adoptar el sistema de crimina culposa, que «son delitos o faltas las acciones y omisiones dolosas o imprudentes penadas por la Ley» (art. 10 CP) y que «las acciones y omisiones imprudentes sólo se castigarán cuando expresamente lo disponga la Ley» (art. 12).
https://libros-revistas-derecho.vlex.es/vid/comentario-artic...

I found this other reference, contrasting it with the term "crimen culpae":


Existen dos formas distintas de regular penalmente los comportamiento imprudentes:

. El sistema de crimen culpae, que consiste en establecer en un precepto penal una cláusula general de castigo de la imprudencia, de modo que en principio cualquier tipo podría ser cometido por imprudencia. Este sistema era el recogido en el artículo 565 del Código Penal de 1973: "El que por imprudencia temeraria ejecutare un hecho que, si mediare dolo, constituiría delito, será castigado con la pena de prisión menor". Como consecuencia de lo anterior, la producción de varios resultados típicos (por ejemplo, varias muertes) daba lugar a un solo delito de imprudencia.

. El sistema de crimina culposa, en cuya virtud sólo son sancionables penalmente los comportamientos imprudentes que expresamente se hallen tipificados. Este sistema, más respetuoso con los principios de legalidad y de intervención mínima, es el que recoge actualmente el artículo 12 del Código Penal vigente: "Las acciones u omisiones imprudentes sólo se castigarán cuando expresamente lo disponga la ley". Como consecuencia de dicho sistema, la producción de varios resultados típicos podrá dar lugar a varios delitos imprudentes.
https://libros-revistas-derecho.vlex.es/vid/comentario-artic...

I suppose I could continue using the Latin, but I'd like to know if an English version of this concept exists in any case.

Thanks for any help!
Proposed translations (English)
3 negligent actions or omissions shall only be punishable when expressly provided for by law [crimina
4 +2 leave it untranslated
4 criminal negligence
4 Crimina Culposa System (Criminal Negligence System)
3 criminal culpability
2 felonious crime

Discussion

Robert Carter (asker) Nov 13, 2018:
@Sandro Thanks for your input anyway. Yes, as I wrote in my note to Manuel's answer, I might end up defining it along the lines of "system of statutorily-defined fault (culpability?) offenses". Not ideal, but it does explain to the reader what's going on.
Sandro Tomasi Nov 13, 2018:
@Robert The Dressler quote can certainly muddle the waters. But consider that he also quotes Oliver Wendell Holmes: "most of the difficulty as to the mens rea was due to having no precise understanding what mens rea is." Legal scholars are also confused as to the meaning of mens rea. Ha!

The key for your translation is knowing how crimina culposa contrasts with crimen culpae. Both are about criminal culpability, but the latter system treats all reckless (and negligent) behavior as a fault crime while the former treats it as a fault crime only if the action or omission is defined in a statute.

Maybe there is a great translation for your term, but I don't have the time to waddle through the terminological mud right now. I try to avoid it at all costs, but maybe it would be better to leave it untranslated and let the rest of the text speak for itself.
Robert Carter (asker) Nov 13, 2018:
One last point: that quote by Dressler only muddies things further for me; it sounds strikingly similar to malice (or dolus).

malice noun
mal·​ice | \ˈma-ləs \
Definition of malice
1 : desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
an attack motivated by pure malice
2 : intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
ruined her reputation and did it with malice
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malice

do·​lus | \ˈdōləs\
Definition of dolus
1 Roman, civil, & Scots law : the doing of anything that is contrary to good conscience : the use of a trick, stratagem, artifice, or device to deceive another : DECEIT
2 Roman, civil, & Scots law : evil or criminal intent similar to malice at the common law in the law of crimes : willful and wanton misconduct in the law of delicts : FRAUD, DECEPTION
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dolus
Robert Carter (asker) Nov 13, 2018:
Nomenclature The English nomenclature is a trip too. Just look at this paragraph from Wikipedia:

Recklessness usually arises when an accused should be aware of the potentially adverse consequences to the planned actions, but has gone ahead anyway, exposing a particular individual or unknown victim to the risk of suffering the foreseen harm but not actually desiring that the victim be hurt. The accused is a social danger because they gamble with the safety of others, and, unless they exercised all possible due diligence, the fact they might have acted to try to avoid the injury from occurring is relevant only to mitigate the sentence. Note that gross criminal negligence represents such a serious failure to foresee that in any other person, it would have been recklessness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recklessness_(law)

Now, supposedly "negligence" bears a lesser degree of culpability than "recklessness", yet according to the above, "gross negligence" signifies more culpability than "recklessness".

By the way, Sandro, thank you at least for such a clear explanation of how complicated this is :-)
Robert Carter (asker) Nov 13, 2018:
@Sandro I totally agree, I think it's more problematic than even your first post suggests.
I've been going around in circles for days on the topic of whether "imprudencia" is "recklessness" or "negligence" (in my source text in particular).
In the commentary I've linked to above (2nd link), it further mentions a distinction in Spanish law between "imprudencia temeraria" and "imprudencia simple".

Pero, entre otros problemas de interpretación de la norma que el delito imprudente suscita, aparece el de interpretar la diferente calificación ahora adoptada de la imprudencia, en grave y leve, y su posible relación comparativa con las anteriores imprudencia temeraria y simple. Parece ser que el concepto de imprudencia grave equivale al anterior de imprudencia temeraria, es decir que requiere para su existencia una conducta en que se omita la adopción de las cautelas más elementales.

There's no easy solution for the above, I fear, but at least I'm closer to an understanding of "crimina culposa".
Sandro Tomasi Nov 13, 2018:
This terminological area is a snake pit. Sorry if my previous comment seems a little out of context in this Kudoz. It does bring a little clarity to the translator. The bigger picture is that there is a lot of debate between legal scholars in English and in Spanish, each in their own systems, regarding the lines between civil torts and crimes, and how crimes are also subdivided by mens rea elements. The nomenclature in Spanish and English is inconsistent among legal scholars and this can make it almost impossible for legal translators to translate accurately.

The best I can do at this point is suggest that you consider the terms strict liability, and mens rea in the culpability meaning, which Joshua Dressler (Criminal Law) describes as "a general immorality of motive, vicious will, or an evil-meaning mind ... i.e., that the defendant committed the actus reus of an offense with a morally blameworthy state of mind."
Sandro Tomasi Nov 13, 2018:
The Rule and the exception Rule
imprudencia = recklessness
negligencia = negligence

Exception
In practice, many lawyers mix the two types of fault crimes into one. For example, Robert, your citations all make reference of imprudencia, but I can see them lumping that and negligencia into one. They should have used infracciones culposas.
Manuel Cedeño Berrueta Nov 13, 2018:
la culpa en si, no constituye un delito, sino que es necesario que esté en relación a la afección a un bien jurídico, y es por eso que no puede haber más delitos culposos que dolosos***, así mismo en el Derecho Penal Chileno, ―no se sanciona la conducta imprudente como tal, sino tan sólo una conducta típicamente imprudente, porque ***en la ley no se contempla un crimen culpae (delito de culpa) sino crimina culposa‖119 (delitos culposos).***
Conforme a la doctrina del ―crimen culpae, este sería un delito sui generis con sus propias características y conforme a ella existiría por ejemplo junto al homicidio, hurto, violación, etc. un delito de imprudencia‖120, pero superado esto se sostiene que la culpa constituye una forma de injusto, por lo cual ya no es procedente hablar de un delito de imprudencia o de culpa (crimen culpae), sino de delitos imprudentes (crimina culposa).
(http://ri.ues.edu.sv/4300/1/50101316.pdf)
Manuel Cedeño Berrueta Nov 13, 2018:
I think these terms should be left untranslated, since they are legal doctrines, not types of crimes, but perhaps you may add an English literal translation between brackets:
crimen culposa => criminal negligence
crimen culpae => crime of negligence
--------
La opinión predominante, actualmente sobre los hechos culposos es que éstos no son crimen culpae sino crimina culposa, ya que lo que no puede hacer el legislador es castigar simplemente la falta de cuidado abstracto, porque implicaría ir a la creación del crimen culpae, que significa desligar el hecho culposo de toda protección a un bien jurídico, y consecuentemente la falta de cuidado pasaría a ser la figura punible de modo general. Lo que impediría toda actividad social, ya que la falta de cuidado está inmerso en el riesgo del quehacer social. Por ello; ***lo que se castiga en el delito imprudente es ―crimina culposa, que consiste en aquella falta de cuidado en relación con un tipo legal determinado por el que se protege un bien jurídico específico‖118, es decir; la culpa en si, no constituye un delito, sino que es necesario que esté en relación a la afección a un bien jurídico,

Proposed translations

1 day 1 hr
Selected

negligent actions or omissions shall only be punishable when expressly provided for by law [crimina

Crimina culposa
“Las acciones u omisiones imprudentes sólo se castigarán cuando expresamente lo disponga la ley“

A descriptive translation of the concept...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2018-11-13 23:13:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

El sistema de crimina culposa, en cuya virtud sólo son sancionables penalmente los comportamientos imprudentes que expresamente se hallen tipificados. Este sistema, más respetuoso con los principios de legalidad y de intervención mínima, es el que recoge actualmente el artículo 12 del Código Penal vigente: "Las acciones u omisiones imprudentes sólo se castigarán cuando expresamente lo disponga la ley". Como consecuencia de dicho sistema, la producción de varios resultados típicos podrá dar lugar a varios delitos imprudentes.

https://www.infoderechopenal.es/2012/11/tipo-de-injusto-del-...
Note from asker:
Thank you, Richard!
Peer comment(s):
neutral AllegroTrans : Correct statement but I don't think it's necessary to go that far and that a general term is possible
15 hrs
Fair comment! It’s just I’m going through a “descriptive translation” phase for some reason right now!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Some variation of what Richard wrote is what I was looking for here. I think this is the most helpful translation for future reference, although I'd like to thank everyone for lending a hand here."
2 hrs

criminal negligence

Your quote defines it as "son delitos o faltas las acciones y omisiones dolosas o imprudentes penadas por la Ley". That sounds like criminal negligence, which Black's Law Dictionary defines as "[g]ross negligence so extreme that it is punishable as a crime" (Black's Law Dictionary, 9th ed., p. 1134). Black's also provides the alternate terms 'culpable negligence' and 'gross negligence'.
Note from asker:
Hi, Nikolaj. Thanks, but if you reread the quote, you will notice that what you are referring to is how the Criminal Code treats "imprudencia", after adopting the "sistema de crimina culposa", not the term "crimina culposa" itself.
Peer comment(s):
neutral AllegroTrans : Negligence is only one form of culpability - there are several others so this doesn't work
10 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
2 hrs

leave it untranslated

Since it's specific to the Spanish legal system, it wouldn't make sense if you tried to translate it.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2018-11-13 01:44:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Are you sure it's Latin?
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/crimina#Noun
Note from asker:
Thanks, Phil. As I said that's an option, but I have a feeling it's not specific to the Spanish legal system. It appears to be a jurisprudential term. As for whether it's Latin, your Wiktionary reference would seem to confirm that.
Peer comment(s):
agree Manuel Cedeño Berrueta
1 hr
neutral AllegroTrans : it is an option, but it still needs some sort of explanation in brackets
10 hrs
agree Patrice : Agree with AllegroTrans
18 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

Crimina Culposa System (Criminal Negligence System)

Sistema de Crimina Culposa
Crimina Culposa System (Criminal Negligence System)

Sistema de Crimen Culpae
Crimen Culpae System (Crimine of Negligence System)

See comment above
Note from asker:
Your references certainly helped me, although I'm still not sure those translations work. I think I may end up defining "crimina culposa" as a "set of statutorily-defined fault offenses". Thank you, Manuel!
Something went wrong...
13 hrs

criminal culpability

The text seems to be a bout the criminal culpability system, whereby a distinction is made between levels of crime (cf. crimes v misdemeanours for example) and degrees of intent, recklessness, omission etc.

Given that the fine detail is within the 1995 Criminal Code and that "criminal culpbility" is a concept understtod across the code law/common law divide, I thin it is adequate here.

Image result for criminal culpability
www.cambridge.org
If someone acts knowingly, they also act recklessly. The definitions of specific crimes refer to these degrees to establish the mens rea (mental state) necessary for a person to be guilty of a crime. The stricter the culpability requirements, the harder it is for the prosecution to prove its case.
Culpability - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culpability

Culpable Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.
https://definitions.uslegal.com/c/culpable/

Culpable is a term in criminal law that refers to the blameworthiness of the accused. An accused is culpable when he or she is sufficiently responsible for ...

"Responsible" is a general term, meaning that a person has some obligation, or deserves some blame. All of the other words could be considered "special cases" of responsibility. "Liable" means you have a legal responsibility. ... "Culpable" means you are guilty of something, i.e. morally responsible.14 Apr 2015
word choice - Liable / responsible / accountable / culpable - English ...
https://ell.stackexchange.com/q/54685
Something went wrong...
1 hr

felonious crime

I give you these two options, in case they help somehow. (I am faaaaar from expertise on these provinces... ;-)

I would think that the equivalent in Spanish would be "delito culposo", which could possibly be "felonious crime" or "wrongful offense".

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/what-is-a-cla...

Probably "wrongful offense", may be "lighter"?
https://books.google.com/books?id=_4O3uhyZi4gC&pg=PA68&lpg=P...

Saludos cordiales.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2018-11-13 23:06:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome, Robert.

Interestingly enough, I would think that there is such a thing as a "rightful offense"... Even if with big quotation marks ;-)

Perhaps it is as simple as rightful offense at media – both Western and Arab – which focuses on problems to such degree it obscures reality, perhaps even to the extent of transforming it.

https://asenseofbelonging.org/2012/09/17/muslims-care-for-th...

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2381003?seq=1#page_scan_tab_con...

Nota Bene:

"Crimina culposa" is as tautological as they come, where pleonastic style is characteristic of the judicial-legal arena... (obviously, not my field, but nonetheless somewhat applicable...)
Note from asker:
Thanks, John, but both those terms you mention sound like tautologies to me, "wrongful offense" in particular. Is there such a thing as a "rightful offense"? :-)
Peer comment(s):
neutral Nikolaj Widenmann : "Delito culposo" is indeed synonymous to the term at hand, but "felonious crime" (I think you meant "felony") is not correct; a felony is simply a serious crime, whether deliberate, negligent, or otherwise.
1 hr
Thank you for your input, Nikolaj. :-)
neutral AllegroTrans : Agree with above, and "wrongful offense" simply doesn't exist in legal land
12 hrs
Thank you very much, Allegro! :-) But don't tell Richard J. Arneson "wrongful offense" doesn't exist... ;-) https://www.jstor.org/stable/2381003?seq=1#page_scan_tab_con...
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search