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The criminal law is territorial in nature, meaning that it applies, for the most part, in England and Wales. However, law from such jurisdictions as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA may be relevant when considering our own law in comparison. On many occasions, the Supreme Court, in determining a matter of interpretation, will turn to the law of another state to understand how a term has been defined there. In this respect, the law of other jurisdictions (not to be confused with our concept of ‘international law’ above) is a useful and potentially persuasive aid to the interpretation of our own law. On a more academic level, law from other jurisdictions is vital in evaluating the law and identifying the strong (and equally weak) points in our own legal system.