A penal code is a set of laws established by a country’s federal government that governs the entire nation. The laws vary between countries, and may override local laws. In the US, federal law supersedes state or local law. Penal codes can reflect a nation’s history, such as Germany’s criminalization of Nazi symbols.
A penal code is typically the set of laws established by a country, usually through the federal government, which governs the entire nation. As such, these laws vary between countries, and how federal laws may relate to state, provincial, or municipal laws is often dictated by the country in which the laws exist. A penal code for a country may be established by that country’s constitution or other important document, and is generally stated explicitly for use in federal courts and as a source of legal authority.
Depending on the country, a nation’s penal code can often override the individual laws of the various states or provinces within that country. Other nations may often allow the laws of local regions to override those established by the country’s penal codes. In Canada, for example, the penal codes are established by a “Criminal Law Respecting Act” which, among other things, states that polygamy is illegal. However, in several provinces of Canada there are a number of situations where polygamous marriages are entered into legally. In these situations, while the country’s penal code should trump local practices, they instead allow such things to enforce the changing nature of the laws.
On the other hand, in the United States (USA), the Criminal Code effectively supersedes any state or local law that contradicts what is established by federal law. This has led to a number of problems with things like the legalization of marijuana. It is federally illegal to grow and sell marijuana, but several states have legalized the practice for medicinal purposes. This means that while someone can go through the proper channels and legally grow marijuana at the state level, federal agencies can still arrest and charge someone with breaking the United States Penal Code.
Even a country’s penal code can often reflect that nation’s history. In Germany, for example, the rise of the Nazi regime before World War II had a lasting impact on the country’s laws. The German penal code, called the Strafgesetzbuch, criminalized the display of symbols of unconstitutional organizations such as the Third Reich. This made the Nazi swastika an illegal image and led to the confiscation of many video games and other entertainment. These penal codes also established that it is illegal in Germany to deny genocide committed by the Nazi party.
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