In criminal law, a regulatory offence[1] or quasi-criminal offence [2] is a class of crime in which the standard for proving culpability has been lowered so a mens rea (Law Latin for "guilty mind") element is not required.
Such offences are used to deter potential offenders from dangerous behaviour rather than to impose punishment for moral wrongdoing.
An absolute liability offence is a type of criminal offence that does not require any fault elements (mens rea) to be proved in order to establish guilt.
The prosecution only needs to show that the accused performed the prohibited act (actus reus).
A public welfare offence is a crime for which "a reasonable person should know [that the proscribed activity] is subject to stringent public regulation and may seriously threaten the community's health or safety".