principal offense; principal offender
Legal term referring to the main crime or the person who directly commits it, as opposed to an accomplice (共犯).
See also: 共犯
彼は強盗の正犯として起訴された。
He was indicted as the principal offender in the robbery.
正犯と共犯では刑の重さが異なる。
The severity of punishment differs between a principal offense and complicity.
正犯 is the principal offender who directly commits the crime, whereas 共犯 refers to an accomplice who participates jointly.
principal offender; perpetrator
joint principal offense; co-perpetration
acting alone in committing a crime; sole perpetrator
direct principal offender; direct perpetrator
indirect principal offender; indirect perpetrator
Compound of 正 (correct, main) and 犯 (crime, offense), used as a legal term for the principal crime or offender.