Oftentimes, it is easy for us to say that what the individual has done is pure violation of what we call as moral or not. We tend to focus on the act itself without having to look upon some circumstances that affect its morality.
There are certain circumstances which could determine the morality of an action. These circumstances might be considered in order to determine the value or the gravity of an offense as well as its punishment.
It is being considered that the committed act may still be considered as wrong or bad even if the act is good and committed
in a good intention. This consideration is possible if the certain act is done in the improper or wrong circumstances; such as in the wrong time, wrong way or in the wrong place.Circumstances are being considered in increasing or decreasing the gravity of the offense that was being committed. It could also be use to justify an act as well as it could exempt an individual from responsibility, liability or punishment of a criminal offense.
There is what we called as “Aggravating Circumstances” which could justify if the act is committed morally or not. There are the "Mitigating" or "Extenuating" circumstances, "Justifying" circumstances and "Exempting" circumstances.
The aggravating circumstances tend to look upon the seriousness of the offense. The mitigating
or extenuating circumstances are those circumstances that lessen or palliate the gravity of the crime that was being done. The justifying circumstances are the circumstances that makes justification or makes the act right. The exempting circumstances are those circumstances that tend to exempt an individual from the punishment or the responsibility.There are differences between the mitigating as well as the justifying circumstance. The mitigating circumstances only lessen the crime but not really remove it.
The justifying circumstances however remove the responsibility as well as the punishment for the reason that the act done was being justified and there is no crime or criminal act was being considered.
In the justifying circumstances, there is no crime or criminal act that was being done, while in the exempting circumstances, there still have a crime materially but there is no considered violator since it is being exempted from his/her punishment as well as to his responsibility.
An action made with the influences under these circumstances could either increase or decrease the gravity of the offense, punishment as well as guilt.