Criminal offenses connected with the occult

Term and definition, passive subjects and objects of the acts of commission

Abstract

The first part of this paper consists of an analysis of term and definition of occult-related criminal offenses. After the presentation and critical review of existing definitions, author proposes several new, legal-oriented definitions. He concludes that the use of a term “occult crime” is not adequate. Instead of it, he suggests use of descriptive and flexible categories (not related to positive law), such as, for example: “offenses associated with the occult”, “crime with elements of the occult” and the like. Offense connected with the occult is defined as any offense which includes certain occult components among its objective or subjective characteristics. According to the broader definition, it is any offense that, in addition to its description based on a positive law, also has some specific characteristics which indicate the presence of a certain occult components, whereby those components can manifest themselves among the causes and motivational factors of that specific crime, within the method of execution, as well as within all other subjective and objective circumstances in the planning and execution of individual criminal act. Crime related to the occult is defined as a heterogeneous and flexible category which includes all criminal offenses that are in some way and at any level associated with occult content. The second part of this paper is dedicated to the discussion about the features of the four significant categories of passive subjects and objects of the acts of commission: a. human being; b. animals; c. burial plot, gravestone, human remains; d. religious temples, religious monuments and other church property. In this section author analyses characteristics of all the above categories, the features of their specific subcategories, as well as typical criminal offenses related to the listed passive subjects or objects. Author points to the fact that the crime associated with the occult consists of numerous and various criminal offenses. Among other things, from this article can be concluded that, depending on the specific type of object of protection, as well as on the type of passive subjects and objects of the act of commission, there could be seen some regularities regarding the typical offenses with the elements of occult which are targeting certain passive subjects or objects. In terms of the chosen four categories, offenses that are occurring most frequently are the following. a. Human being: crimes against life and body (especially murder, aggravated murder, grievous bodily harm, light bodily injury etc); certain criminal offenses against the rights and freedoms of man and citizen; crimes against sexual freedom. b. Animals: killing and abuse of animals. c. Burial space: the crime of grave violations; some offenses against property (destruction or damage of other people’s things, theft, seizure of property belonging to another); inciting national, racial and religious hatred and intolerance. d. Religious temples, monuments and other church property: different crimes against property; instigating national, racial and religious hatred and intolerance; causing general danger.