CRIME LIABILITY

 Principal - In an agency relationship, the principal is the person who gives authority to
another, called an agent, to act on his or her behalf. In Criminal Law, the principal is the
chief actor or perpetrator of a crime; those who aid, abet, counsel, command, or induce
the commission of a crime may also be principals. An accomplice differs from
an accessory in that an accomplice is present at the actual crime, and could be
prosecuted even if the main criminal (the principal) is not charged or convicted.
An accessory is generally not present at the actual crime, and may be subject to
lesser penalties than an accomplice or principal.

INVIOLABILITY OF LIFE- In religion and ethics, the inviolability or sanctity of life is a

principle of implied protection regarding aspects of sentient life that are said to be holy,
sacred, or otherwise of such value that they are not to be violated.
VIRTUE OF CHASTITY- recognizes that our desires are good and it orders them to the
good of the other person. ... Love is to will the good of another by the sincere gift of self,
agape love. To love is to will the good of another. Chastity is a positive virtue that frees
love from selfishness and aggression. For unmarried persons, chastity is identified with
sexual abstinence. Sexual acts outside or apart from marriage, such as adultery,
fornication, and prostitution, are considered immoral due to lust.
EPIKIA- There is always an exemption to the rule.
PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY – What can be done by an individual or lower group
should not be done by a higher group. Thus, if a nursing or physical therapy school is
capable of carrying on an efficient training program and is willing to do so, then the state
or any federation of nursing/ physical therapy groups should not interfere.

RULE OF ORDINARY MEANS- has the right and duty in case of serious illness to take
the necessary means for the preservation of life and health. E.g. a blood transfusion in
most circumstance today would be an ordinary means, whereas the amputation of two
legs is extraordinary. To preserve life we must take the ordinary means.

MORAL MAXIMS
 One who acts through an agent is himself responsible. A patient in the
hospital ask the nurse for reading matter which she knows is obscene. The nurse
realizing that this would be wrong, tells the orderly to bring the requested reading
o that she then would not be responsible. Actually, the nurse is responsible in
arranging an occasion of sin through another person.
 Defects of Nature maybe corrected. A child is born with 6 fingers in each hand,
there is no moral question in operating to remove the extra members.
 No one is judge in his own case. In making a decision relative to oneself, our
judgment is often wrapped by nonessential details. Not uncommonly, we are
biased in our own favor. To seek moral and spiritual advice from the proper
person is often very much in order.
 Accessories belong to the principal object. Minor accessory added to an
object in such a way that it cannot be separated from it really becomes one with
the principal object and its relationship is determined whereby.
 If one is willing to cooperate in an act, no injustice is done. A physician,
wishing to test the effect of a new medication, agrees to give all services,
treatments and medications free provided the patient volunteers to act as a test
case. The patient agrees willingly. However, the medication fails to cure him. He
then complains to the doctor for subjecting him to the test. This is not a legitimate
complaint. No injustice was done.
 A very little is equal to nothing. The spirit of the law rather the letter of the law
is the important thing. A respiratory therapist takes two aspirin tablets for a
headache without telling anyone. This is so small a matter that is equal to
nothing.
 A little more or less does not change the substance of an act. A man for
instance who knows that intemperance in drinking is a problem for him and he
 has gotten into trouble by taking 12 bottles of beer a day, says that he will only
take 11. This minor difference will not change the morality of his guilt.
The recovery room procedure in a certain hospital cautiously requires that
pressures be checked every 15 minutes. Patient A has reacted and seems in
good condition. Patient B is wheeled in a critical condition and needs a special
attention. The charge nurse omits one pressure check on patient A. This need
not trouble her conscience; substantially, he is being given excellent care, the
omission is small as amount to nothing.
 Laws imposing an obligation may be given a narrow interpretation as
possible. Relative to the interpretation of laws, on the other hand, a law giving a
privilege may be interpreted in as broad a way as possible and on the other
hand, a law restricting our liberty may be given the narrowest interpretation.
Excommunication is attached to the crime of abortion; if a woman attempts an
abortion and it does not result, she is not excommunicated, although of course
she committed a serious sin.
 No one is held to the impossible. In the moral field, certainly God would not
expect any person to do what is impossible or unreasonable. A nurse or social
worker who is told to care for unreasonable number of clients/patients and who
becomes worried that she is neglecting her duty, because she is physically
incapable of carrying out all the details commanded, should remember this
principle in settling her conscience.
 A doubtful law does not bind. A doubtful law is one which may not actually
exist in fact or, if does exist, may not apply to the situation at hand.
 Passion does not usually arise from the things which we are accustomed.
Much of the regularly accepted clothing of our day would been scandalous a
hundred years ago and perhaps constituted a serious occasion to sin. Today’s
modest clothing, although more revealing than that of the former times, does not
constitute an occasion of sin because we are accustomed to it. Basic morality
never changes-adultery will always be a mortal sin-but what constitute a strong
temptation may change according to circumstance.
 Sacraments were meant for the good souls. The sacraments are outward
signs instituted by Jesus Christ to give grace as for example, anointing the sick,
holy communion, confession. “Sacraments were meant for the good of the souls”.
For instance, in an emergency when there is doubt if a person is alive, anointing
of the sick should be administered. If there is doubt whether an infant is alive and
it has not been baptized, it should be baptized at least conditionally.
 The salvation of souls is the highest law. In all things our ultimate judgment
should be “Is what I am doing best for my own and others’ eternal salvation? The
doctor who performs immoral operations may make money in so doing, but he
must ask himself:” is this what I am doing morally good and helpful for my eternal
salvation?”

Source:

https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=V6k4CbZnauEC&pg=PA79&lpg=PA79&dq=
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