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Regulation, Prohibition, And Overcriminalization: The Proper And Improper Uses Of The Criminal Law, Paul J. Larkin, Jr.

Hofstra Law Review

The function of the criminal law is to effectively enforce the moral code that every person knows by heart — to enforce the minimum substantive content of the social compact by bringing the full moral authority of government to bear on violators. By contrast, the function of the regulatory system is to efficiently manage components of the national economy using civil rules, rewards, and penalties to incentivize desirable behavior without casting aspersions on violations attributable to ignorance or explanations other than defiance. Treating regulatory crimes as if they were no different than “street crimes” ignores the profound difference between the …