Purpose

• It is imperative that the Navy enforce rules and regulations upon its members. This ensures good order and discipline among all Navy members and also ensures that the mission that the Navy has been charged with in defending the nation is carried out. These rules and regulations also serve to reinforce the chain of command structure, so each sailor and officer understands his place in the Naval organization.
  
  

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)

• The UCMJ is the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The UCMJ consists of 58 punitive articles, each pertaining to a different crime or offense. The UCMJ is not Navy-specific; it applies to every branch of the military. The UCMJ also spells out specific punishments for each offense. The UCMJ is the highest authority on military law.
  
  

Navy Regulations

• Department of the Navy Regulations are the main regulatory documents of law in the Navy, as issued by the Secretary of the Navy with approval of the President of the United States and maintained by the Chief of Naval Operations. These regulations are numbered and cover such topics as proper wear of the uniform, promotion and demotion of Naval personnel. Navy regulations are not to conflict with or alter the UCMJ. Local commands may also write regulations but local regulations are not to conflict with or alter Department of the Navy regulations. These regulations apply to all members of the United States Navy, and many apply to members of the United States Marine Corps when serving aboard a Navy ship.
  
  

Jurisdiction

• Navy rules and regulations apply to all members of the Navy (and some members of the Marine Corps) at all times. If a crime or offense is committed on a United States military installation, the military has sole jurisdiction over the offender. However, if a member commits a crime while not on a United States military installation, both the military and local law enforcement have jurisdiction over the offender. In some cases, the military will cede jurisdiction to local authorities, or local authorities will cede jurisdiction to the military. For certain offenses, both the military and civilian authorities will levy punishment for the same crime, allowing the military member to be punished twice.
  
  

Punishments

• If a member subject to jurisdiction under Navy Rules and Regulations commits an offense, there are many punishments that may be levied against her. Punishments are based on several factors, including the severity of the offense, the military rank of the offender, and the rank of the offender's Commander. For example, if a member were to oversleep and be late for work, the punishment will obviously be less severe than if the member were to rob another sailor. Also, a junior officer, such as a Lieutenant, can only impose certain punishments on offenders, such as extra duty, or restriction to quarters. A more senior officer, such as an Admiral, can impose harsher punishments, up to and including sentences such as jail time and, in some cases, even death.