Editing De minimis (section)

===Criminology and crime===
In [[criminology]], the ''de minimis'' or ''minimalist'' approach is an addition to a general [[harm principle]]. The general harm principle fails to consider the possibility of other sanctions to prevent harm, and the effectiveness of [[criminalization]] as a chosen option. Those other sanctions include civil courts, laws of [[tort]] and [[regulation]]. Having criminal remedies in place is seen as a "last resort" since such actions often infringe personal liberties &ndash; [[incarceration]], for example, prevents the freedom of movement. In this sense, law making that places a greater emphasis on [[human rights]], such as the [[European Convention on Human Rights]], falls into the ''de minimis'' category. Most crimes of direct action ([[murder]], [[rape]], [[assault]], for example) are generally not affected by such a stance, but do require greater justification in less clear cases.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Principles of Criminal Law |edition=3 |first=Andrew |last=Ashworth |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1999 |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-876557-8 |page=33}}{{Request quotation|date=August 2019}}</ref>

The ''de minimis'' rule in North American [[Drug prohibition law|drug law]] requires a ''usable'' quantity of the substance in question before charges can be brought, known as the ''minority rule''.<ref>{{cite book|last=MacFarlane|first=Bruce A.|title=Drug offences in Canada|year=1986|isbn=978-0-88804-032-9|page=565|chapter=De minimis non curat lex|publisher=Canada Law Book }}</ref>

In Canada, ''de minimis'' is often used as a standard of whether a criminal offence is made out at a preliminary stage. For a charge of second degree murder, the test being: "could the jury reasonably conclude that accused actions were a contributing cause, beyond ''de minimis'', of the victim's death."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onca/doc/2008/2008onca544/2008onca544.html|title=''R. v. J.S.R. (a young person)'', 2008 ONCA 544 |date=7 July 2008 |publisher= [[Canadian Legal Information Institute]] |website=canlii.org}}</ref>