What Latin term translates to 'bad because it is forbidden' and refers to acts illegal by statute rather than morality?

• A. Actus Reus
• B. Mala Prohibita
• C. Mala In Se
• D. Mens Rea

Answer: (B)

In criminal law, some offenses are described as mala prohibita—things that are wrong only because a statute says they are forbidden. The phrase translates to “bad because it is forbidden.” This category covers acts that are illegal by law but not inherently immoral, like certain regulatory violations or conduct prohibited by statute, rather than acts that are immoral in themselves.

This contrasts with mala in se, which refer to offenses considered wrong in themselves regardless of any statute, such as murder or rape. Also, actus reus and mens rea are about the elements of a crime—the physical act and the mental state—rather than whether the act is mala prohibita or mala in se. So the term that best fits the description is mala prohibita.