Yolwaphulo-mthetho, njengoko Wolwaphulo-mthetho kubhekiswa kuwo, comprised kwi-isemthethweni inkqubo lizwe lethu abo asemthethweni imigangatho ngawo ezithile iintlobo ukuziphatha prohibited, ukudliwa imali njengokuba ngokusemthethweni ngenxa ukuba abe ezinxulumeneyoInjongo yolwaphulo-mthetho kwi-protection ezithile zomthetho izinto ezifana ubomi, ezempilo kunye nempahla zabantu, ukhuseleko, kwaye ingqiqo yombuso, ngokunjalo njengoko iindlela zomzobo amaxabiso zoluntu ubomi ngakumbi inyaniso.
Kunokwenzeka izohlwayo, ezingekhoyo practiced kuwo onke amazwe, zona, phakathi kwezinye izinto, olukhawulezileyo lwemali esangezelelweyo, inkululeko esangezelelweyo, umzimba esangezelelweyo ngokunjalo kakhulu oko Ifomu ukufa esangezelelweyo. I-kubalulekile yinxalenye wolwaphulo-mthetho iqulathe isemthethweni iimbali ye-zolwaphulo-mthetho kwaye zabo iimpawu chaza (ebizwa-offences) kunye nendalo kwaye kangakanani le enxulumene-mthetho senzo. Traditionally, ulwaphulo-mthetho umgaqo-nkqubo nomthetho, ukunyanzeliswa wolwaphulo-mthetho, linalo igunya amaziko kwaye umsebenzi we-fixed ukubala ukuya wolwaphulo-mthetho Ngokomthetho allowable izohlwayo, uvavanyo yolwaphulo-injongo, indalo, kwaye kangakanani le nangumsinga isemthethweni qho ngonyaka, ngokunjalo njengoko kwicandelo elikhethekileyo, ulwaphulo-mthetho umthetho kwi-inkqubo Esemthethweni, kukho ezibalulekileyo umehluko phakathi nezomthetho nganye nganye amazwe, ngokulawulwa ka-comparative isemthethweni science.
