Criminal law — actus reus and mens rea

What you'll learn

1. 1

   Imagine you accidentally throw a ball that breaks a window. The act of throwing is the 'guilty act' — that's actus reus. The 'guilty mind' is mens rea — did you mean to break it?

2. 2

   If you push someone on purpose, which part is the 'guilty act' (actus reus)?

3. 3

   Think of a burger 🍔. The bottom bun is actus reus (the action). The top bun is mens rea (the guilty mind). You need both for a full crime-burger!

4. 4

   Let's look at a real example: Sam takes a coat from a shop without paying.

5. 5

   Drag the actions into the right box: Actus Reus or Mens Rea?

6. 6

   Which case has BOTH actus reus and mens rea?

7. 7

   Sometimes you can have actus reus without mens rea — like if you break something by accident. That's usually not a crime.