Criminal Law is the whole of the rules that determine what actions are prohibited and included in the criminal offense, and determine what penalties can be imposed on those who do.
According to Prof. Moeljatno, S.H. The Criminal Law is part of the whole applicable law of a country, which provides the foundations and rules for:
Determine which acts shall not be exercised and which is prohibited, accompanied by threats or sanctions in the form of a specific penalty for anyone who violates the prohibition.
Determine when and in what matters to those who have violated such restrictions may be imposed or criminalized as has been threatened.
Determine in what manner the imposition of a criminal may be exercised if any person is suspected of violating the prohibition.
Meanwhile, according to Sudarsono, in principle the Criminal Law is that regulates the crime and violation of public interest and the act is threatened with criminal which is a suffering.
Thus the penal law does not impose its own legal norm, but already lies in other norms and criminal sanctions. Held to strengthen the observance of other norms, such as religious norms and morals.