Criminal One who has committed a crime. One who has been convicted of a crime. Constituting, implying, or involving a crime or an element of a crime. Pertaining to some aspect of the penal code or its administration. Culprit The culprit is defined as the person who is responsible for something, or is the thing that is causing a bad outcome a person guilty of a crime or offense; offender ARCHAIC a person accused of a crime, esp. by arraignment before a law court anything or anyone regarded as the cause of some problem, misfortune, etc. perpetrator The definition of a perpetrator is a person who commits an illegal or bad act. An example of a perpetrator is a person who robs a bank. Read more at http://www.yourdictionary.com/

culprit; may have caused the act but may not have (yet) been found or been found guilty of the crime. Can be a person, a company or an object Perpetrator; as culprit, most likely a human but could also be a company or an animal. Not an object, so a storm could not be a perpetrator but it could be a culprit Criminal; someone who has been judged by a court of law to have commited a crime. Note that in some countries in history an animal could also be convicted of a crime. A company can also be a criminal. No objects can be a criminal.

Criminal- Guilty of breaking the law. "Committed a crime (breaking the law)" Culprit- The actual person committing the crime Perpetrator- A person who carries out illegal, immoral or unjust acts. They all have very similar meaning and almost all mean the same thing. Hope this helps