The Modern Penal Code narrows down the mens rea requirements in state statues. Identify and explain the four mens rea requirements of the Modern Penal Code

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Purpose: A person acts purposely when "it is his conscious object to engage in conduct" or cause a particular result. Purpose, according to the Model Penal Code, is the most blameworthy state of mind; Knowledge: A person acts knowingly if he is (a) "aware" that his conduct is criminal or (b) "aware that it is practically certain that his conduct will cause" a harmful result. A person who acts knowingly is less culpable than one who acts with purpose; Recklessness: The Model Penal Code defines recklessness as follows: "A person acts recklessly with respect to a material element of an offense when he consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the material element exists or will result from his conduct. The risk must be of such a nature and degree; Negligence: The Model Penal Code defines negligence, the least culpable state, in this way: "A person acts negligently with respect to a material element of an offense when he should be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the material element exists or will result from his conduct. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that the actor's failure to perceive it, considering the nature and purpose of his conduct and the circumstances known to him, involves a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in the actor's situation. Negligence only requires that the offender be "aware" of the substantial and unjustifiable risk.