criminal code

American  

noun

Law.

1. the aggregate of statutory enactments pertaining to criminal offenses.

2. a systematic and integrated statement of the rules and principles pertaining to criminal offenses.

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Etymology

Origin of criminal code

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

criminal code

Los Angeles County and state fire investigators cited eight violations, including three of California’s criminal code, in their report released on Aug. 4.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

A year later, Congress passed a law that added a firearms trafficking conspiracy charge to the federal criminal code, a crucial new tool for prosecutors.

From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026

First, Congress must address a long‑recognized problem with the federal criminal code: It is sprawling and vague, with statutes that often lack clear requirements regarding criminal intent.

From Slate ● May 1, 2026

Gao left China for New York, where he has permanent residency, shortly after Xi oversaw an amendment to China's criminal code in 2021, which strengthened laws against insulting the country's "heroes and martyrs".

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026

In the wake of these incidents, Congress passed a series of New Deal reforms that gave the federal government its first comprehensive criminal code and the bureau a sweeping mission.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann