strict liability in criminal law Term adopted in place of absolute liability . If a matter is made a criminal offence, it is essential that there should be something in the nature of mens rea....But there are exceptions to this rule....and the reason for this is, that the legislature has thought it so important to prevent the particular act from being committed that it absolutely forbids it to be done; and if it is done the offender is liable to a penalty whether he has any mens rea or not, and whether or not he intended to commit a breach of the law .