> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://lscso.gitbook.io/lscso-tarp/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://lscso.gitbook.io/lscso-tarp/additional/actus-reus-and-mens-rea.md).

# Actus Reus & Mens Rea

For any person to be convicted of a crime, there must be two very essential elements:

**Actus Reus (Guilty Act)**

* The unlawful act committed (the physical element)
* Can be a failure to act, causing a crime

**Mens Rea (Guilty Mind)**

* Criminal intent
* Required element to convict of a crime
* 4 Tiers of classification
  * Acting purposely - The defendant had an underlying conscious objective to act.
  * Acting knowingly - The defendant is practically certain that the conduct will cause a particular result.
  * Acting recklessly - The defendant consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustified risk.
  * Acting negligently - The defendant was not aware of the risk, but should have been aware of the risk.