What term denotes the violation of a society's formally enacted criminal law?

• A. Not Guilty
• B. Parole
• C. Crime
• D. Defendant

Answer: (C)

Crime denotes the violation of society's formally enacted criminal law. When a person commits an act or fails to act in a way that a criminal statute prohibits, and that act is punishable by the state, it is considered a crime. Criminal law defines offenses and penalties, and prosecutions must establish elements like the actual conduct and, in many cases, a culpable mental state. The other options don’t fit this idea: a Not Guilty verdict means the prosecution didn’t prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, Parole is supervised release after serving part of a sentence, and a Defendant is the person charged with the offense.