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A Full Guide to Actus Reus

In order for an individual to be convicted of a crime, many different elements of the crime must be satisfied. The most important of these elements is the actus reus. Actus reus is the action or behavior which constitutes a crime. It is the criminal activity that an offender has taken part in that has caused damage or injury to another person or to another person's property. 

For example, if an individual is being charged with assault, the actus reus would be the act of beating or physically injuring the victim. Without actus reus, a crime would not have occurred. 
In order for an individual to be convicted of a crime, the prosecutor must be able to prove that the defendant is the individual who is responsible for the actus reus. The prosecutor will do this by presenting evidence to the court and by gathering testimonies from witnesses. The evidence must leave the jury without any doubt that the defendant has committed the actus reus. Otherwise, the individual who is being accused of the crime cannot be convicted and will not receive a criminal sentence.  
Actus reus is not the only essential element of a crime that must be satisfied in order for a defendant to be convicted. Mens rea is also an important and necessary aspect of any crime. In order for an individual to be convicted of a crime, mens rea must also be established. This means that the prosecutor must prove that the defendant intended and desired to take part in the criminal activity for which he or she was responsible. 
In order for criminal charges to be imposed upon a defendant, both mens rea and actus reus must be present. The prosecutor must utilize information, evidence, and witness testimony in order to convince the court that the defendant possessed the mens rea and actus reus. Therefore, if an individual is responsible for causing harm or injury to another person without the intention to do so or through an accident, then the offender cannot be charged with a crime. 

Although the perpetrator may have taken part in behavior that was detrimental to another person, the offender did not have the intention to cause harm and may have not possessed the knowledge that his or her behavior was illegal or potentially dangerous. 
Requiring both mens rea and actus reus to be present assists in preventing innocent individuals or offenders who do not deserve harsh sentences from becoming convicted criminals required to serve long and severe criminal sentences. Thus, both mens rea and actus reus are of great importance when dealing with crimes.

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