MalumIn Se

“Malum in se” is a Latin phrase which means “wrong or evil in itself”. This legal term refers to acts which naturally violate moral principles such as murder, rape, and theft. Hence, malum in se actions generally have grave punishments. This concept is in contrast with “malum prohibitum” which refers to acts which are not originally immoral but only become illegal because of the consequences. For instance, parking at the side of the road is not inherently immoral; however, parking at a curb during “no parking” hours is illegal due to traffic concerns.