Reflections on the Creation of a Unified Criminal Law

Many commentators have pointed to the goal of creating a unified criminal law, accepted in all countries and accompanied by an international penal authority to secure its enforcement. It is easy to recognize the great advantages of a unified, global law. In the field of criminal law in particular, the compelling authority of a penal code would be much more persuasive to the individual citizen than today’s criminal law, the proscriptions of which vary from state to state. The law appears arbitrary, generating exterior compliance but not true consent.