The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

The student is introduced to the basic concepts of criminal law, and is presented with some thought-provoking examples from the annals of the criminal justice system. Crimes against the person, crimes against property, legal defenses (such as the insanity defense), as well as the theory and history of criminal justice are presented together with a practical skills exploration of the criminal justice process. One of our most popular courses.

Objectives:

• Understand the nature and purpose of substantive criminal law.
• Distinguish between criminal and non-criminal offenses.
• Define and differentiate among classifications of crimes
• Understand the different types of accusatory instruments
• Assist in pre-trial preparation

Supplementary Course Documents:

• Electronic Forensic Evidence
• Paralegal Case
• Arson Case
• The Distinguishing Feature of Criminal Law
• Purposes of Punishment
• Punishment II
• Capital Punishment (The Death Penalty)
• Crimes Against Persons
• Elements of Murder and Manslaughter
• Second-Degree Murder
• Degrees of Manslaughter
• Involuntary or Reckless Killing
• Felony murder
• Causation
• Other Crimes Against the Person
• Nonforcible Crimes Against the Person
• Kidnapping, Etc.
• Defenses to Assault, Battery, Murder, Manslaughter and Mayhem
• Crimes Against Property
• Ingredients of a Crime: What makes a criminal act?
• Liability Without Fault
• Defense of Insanity
• Other Defenses
• Cruel and Unusual Punishment
• Limitations of the Criminal Law
• Case: The Case of the Paralegal Gone Bad. (United States of America v. Said Farraj and Yeazid Farraj)
• Audio Lectures (MP3 format)

Discussion Topics

Week 1:

• Hypothetical: Bombing a Doctor’s Office
• Additional Discussion Topic TBA

Week 2:

• Hypothetical: Suspicious Residential Fire
• Additional Discussion Topic TBA

Week 3:

• Researching Computer Crimes in Different States
• Additional Discussion Topic TBA

Week 4:

• Electronic Forensic Evidence
• Additional Discussion Topic TBA

Practical Assignment (required):

The Practical Assignment is due by the end of Week Three.

Optional practical assignments are also available for extra credit.

Quizzes and Tests

All students are required to take a final test during the final week of the course. Tests are administered in the online classroom, and all answers must be submitted by the last day of class.

Grading:

Grading is calculated as follows:

Week 1:

• Introduction to the United States Legal System
• Federalism
• Separation of Powers
• The Structure of the Court System
• The Duties and Powers of the Judicial Branch
• Comparing Civil Law and Criminal Law
• Introduction to Criminal Law
• Distinction Between Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure
• Power of Government to Regulate Behavior
• Purposes of  Punishment
• Specific Deterrence
• General Deterrence
• Incapacitation
• Rehabilitation
• Retribution
• Sources of Criminal Law
• Common Law
• Statutory Law
• Ordinances
• Administrative Law
• Court Rules
• Model Penal Code
• The Two Essential Elements
• Mens Rea
• Mens Rea and the Common Law
• Strict Liability
• Vicarious Liability
• Proving Mens Rea
• Motive
• Actus Reus
• Voluntariness
• Thoughts and Statements as Acts
• Personal Status as an Act
• Possession as an Act
• Omissions as Acts
• Causation

Week 2:

• Crimes Against the Person
• Studying Crimes
• Homicide
• Homicide and the Common Law
• Statutory Approaches to Homicide
• Manslaughter
• The Model Penal Code’s Approach to Homicide
• Corpus Delecti
• Assault and Battery
• Mayhem
• Sex Crimes
• Rape
• Nonforcible Rape
• Sodomy
• Rape Shield Laws
• Incest
• Sex Offenses Against Children
• Kidnapping
• Parental Kidnapping
• False Imprisonment
• Kidnapping for Ransom or Other Evil Motive
• Stalking
• Civil Rights and Hate Crimes
• Crimes Against Property
• Arson
• Burglary
• Theft Crimes
• Larceny
• Embezzlement
• False Pretenses
• Receiving Stolen Property
• Robbery
• Extortion
• Destruction of Property
• Computer Crimes

Week 3:

• Crimes Against the Public
• Defining Crime Against the Public
• Prostitution and Solicitation
• Deviate Sexual Conduct
• Indecent Exposure and Lewdness
• Obscenity
• Riot and Unlawful Assembly
• Disturbing the Peace
• Vagrancy and Panhandling
• Drug and Alcohol Crimes
• Crimes Against the Environment
• Clean Water Act
• Clean Air Act
• OSHA
• Endangered Species Act
• Parties and Inchoate Offenses
• Parties to Crimes
• Inchoate Crimes
• Attempt
• Conspiracy
• Solicitation

Week 4:

• Factual and Statutory Defenses
• Definition of Defense
• Affirmative Defenses
• Insanity Defense
• Duress and Necessity
• Use of Force Defenses
• Self-Defense
• Defense of Others
• Defense of Property and Habitation
• Arrests
• Infancy
• Intoxication
• Mistake
• Entrapment
• Alibi
• Consent
• Statutes of Limitation
• Constitutional Defenses
• Double Jeopardy
• Self-Incrimination and Immunity
• Due Process and Equal Protection
• Vagueness and Overbreadth
• Ex Post Facto and Bills of Attainder
• First Amendment and Religion
• First Amendment and Speech
• Privacy and Other Unenumerated Rights
• Overview of  Constitution of the United States
• Selected Excerpts from the Model Penal Code