Conversely, the more important and socially more valuable the professionals objective, the smaller his carelessness. There are thus degrees of negligence which the law would take into account for civil and criminal purposes. The distinctions are indeterminate and impracticable. Sometimes a distinction is drawn between ordinary negligence, criminal negligence and gross negligence. Ordinary negligence is such failure to use care as would render a professional liable under the civil law but not under the criminal law.
Criminal negligence is a greater failure and a greater falling below the standard of care.
The English law, however, adopts one standard of care and therefore one degree of negligence for civil and criminal purposes. Whenever a professional is under a duty to care at all, he is bound to take that degree of care which is deemed reasonable under the circumstances and the absence of this care is culpable negligence. The alleged distinction between slight negligence and gross negligence assumes importance under the criminal law. There are no degrees of carelessness which can amount to design or purpose. Grossness of negligence is as bad as intent and is thus treated by law as if it were intent.