Criminal law refers to the statutory and judicial scheme that establishes what ‘punishable conduct’ is proscribed by the government, typically because the conduct interferes with the public order, safety or welfare. Substantive criminal law defines the elements of proscribed conduct (crimes) and the punishments for violations thereof. The process for enforcing criminal law (investigation, arrest, arraignment, etc) is known as criminal procedure. Criminal prosecutions are bought by the government. Crimes are generally categorized as either misdemeanors or felonies. Misdemeanors are typically proscribed conduct for which the law imposes punishment of no more than one year imprisonment. Lesser offenses are often called violations, such as parking infractions. On the other hand, felonies are typically proscribed conduct punishable by imprisonment of more than one year or by death. Criminal law varies significantly by jurisdiction.

• ABA Criminal Justice Section
  The mission of the Criminal Justice Section is to improve the criminal justice system and to serve its members, the profession and the public.
• Federal Sentencing Guidelines Manuals
  US States Sentencing Commission
• National Center for Victims of Crime
  Helping Crime Victims Re-build their Lives
• Differences between Civil and Criminal Law in the US
  The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast criminal and civil law.
• Bureau of Justice Statistics
  BJS mission: To collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to Federal, State, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and evenhanded.
• United States Department of Justice
  To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law;

• Canadian Criminal Code - Department of Justice
  Under Canada’s federal system, the administration of justice is an area of shared jurisdiction between the federal government and the provinces...
• International Criminal Law - Definition
  International criminal law is an autonomous branch of law which deals with international crimes and the courts and tribunals set up to adjudicate cases in which persons have incurred international criminal responsibility.
• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
  The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime
• United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)
  
• European Criminal Bar Association ( ECBA)
  The European Criminal Bar Association ( ECBA) is an association of independent specialist defence lawyers.

• What kind of evidence is presented in a criminal defense case?
  

  For individuals charged with a crime, the decision on whether he or she will win their criminal defense case will depend in part on the evidence that the prosecution has gathered against them. Mounting a defense against criminal charges is not something that should typically attempted without the advice of a skilled cr..