The American criminal law, which has always been somewhat ridiculed by German jurists, is increasingly influencing German legal thinking. This is evident in the significant impact of the Rome Statute, which confronts German jurists at every turn in international criminal law. Moreover, the American conceptual framework of criminal procedure has found its way into German law not only through various institutions (fair trial, rules of evidence) but also in the form of plea agreements in German criminal proceedings. The author presents the subject matter clearly to the reader, primarily explaining US criminal law through the Model Penal Code. A framework for assessing criminal liability under American law rounds off the work. This book is intended for students, legal trainees, assessors, attorneys, and judges.