Answer: the guilty mind
Explanation: Criminal laws often punish not only the act, but also the state of mind associated with the act. Actus reus is Latin for “guilty act,” or the criminal act. (Mens rea) is Latin for “guilty mind,” referring to the state of mind associated with the criminal act. Crimes may be differentiated between or categorized into degrees based, in part, on the state of mind associated with the act. For example, if a perpetrator points a gun at someone, says, “I’m going to kill you,” and pulls the trigger, he or she has clearly committed intentional homicide, or murder. The perpetrator intended both the act and the result—the victim’s death. PF