Mala in se crimes are defined as acts that are criminalized because they are inherently what?

Mala in se crimes refer to offenses that are considered inherently wrong or evil, regardless of whether they have been codified into law. These are actions that violate the fundamental principles of morality and ethics, such as murder, sexual assault, and theft. The characteristic that makes them mala in se is their intrinsic nature of being bad or wrong, which is recognized universally across various cultures and legal systems. Understanding this distinction highlights how certain acts are condemned not just because they are illegal, but because they violate moral norms shared by society. This provides a basis for their classification as serious offenses that warrant significant legal consequences.