gerningsperson

Geringsperson is a term used in several Nordic languages to denote a person who commits a crime or illegal act. In legal texts, police statements and media it refers to the individual whose actions constitute the offense, regardless of whether the person has been charged, tried, or convicted. The expression focuses on the act and the actor rather than the outcome of the case.

Scope and usage: A gerningsperson can be a sole offender or part of a group of offenders. The designation does not by itself determine guilt or liability. In criminal proceedings the formal status may be described differently depending on jurisdiction, for example as a suspected or accused person (tiltalte) during proceedings or as a convicted person (dømt) after a verdict. Police or prosecutors may identify a suspected gerningsperson based on evidence, but identification alone is not proof of guilt. The term is commonly used in reporting and official summaries to avoid premature judgments about guilt.

Relation to other terms: Gerningsperson is closely related to terms such as offender or perpetrator in other languages. It is not a legal verdict in itself but a descriptive label for the actor in the commission of a crime. In everyday language, more specific terms may be used depending on the jurisdiction and the stage of the case, such as mistenkt (suspect) or tiltalte (indicted/charged).

Etymology: The word combines gerning or gärning, meaning deed or act, with person, yielding “the person who committed the deed.” The concept is widely understood in Nordic legal and journalistic contexts.