ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the constitution of Bhutan, which was formally introduced on 18 July, 2008, and the very progressive Penal Code of Bhutan, which came into effect on 11 August, 2004, to build an overview of crime and criminal justice system of Bhutan. It discusses Penal Laws and Crimes in Bhutan and Criminal Justice Processes in Bhutan. The Bhutanese legal system is a unique system and on a close examination it reveals features of neither various legal systems but it neither falls within the category of common law system nor the continental civil law system. The Civil and Criminal Procedure Code of Bhutan and the Royal Bhutan Police Act provide statutory guidelines for policing and investigation. The Bhutan Penal Code further ensures speedy and effective means of justice by classifying crimes according to the harms created by them to the affected parties and the sentencing classification for each category of crimes recognised by the Bhutan Penal Code.
