Administrative Offense

an unlawful culpable action or an omission to act violating rules that have been established by competent state agencies to protect the interests of the state, public organizations, and citizens; the normal work of state agencies and public organizations; public order; state and public security; and so forth. An administrative offense gives rise to administrative responsibility.

An administrative offense differs from a crime by the lesser degree of social danger. The commission of an administrative offense serves as the grounds for applying social or administrative sanctions. The illegality of an administrative offense consists of a person’s committing an action that is prohibited by law or failing to do what is prescribed by law, and doing so intentionally or through negligence; this circumstance creates the guilt. An illegal action or an omission to act must be in a causal relationship with the ensuing consequences. Thus the elements of an administrative offense comprise illegality, culpability, and a causal relationship between the action and the ensuing harmful consequences.