What links criminal results with a perpetrator?

Causation is the concept that establishes a direct link between a person's actions and the resulting criminal outcome. In legal terms, causation must be proven to show that the defendant's actions led to the harm or consequences that transpired. This means that there must be a clear cause-and-effect relationship—if the action did not occur, the result would not have happened.

In criminal law, establishing causation is crucial because it helps to determine liability. Simply having an act, mental state, or intent alone does not create the necessary connection to hold someone accountable for a crime. Without causation, one cannot effectively argue that the perpetrator is responsible for the outcomes of their actions.