TOPIC 5: CRIMINAL LAW & PROCEDURE - QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 1. What is law”? “criminal Do you generally believe that criminal laws are effective at curbing prohibited Discussion: • conduct? Do they effectively protect the health, safety, and welfare of citizens? Does a criminal penalty ever violate the purpose of protecting citizens? With the prison population at record levels in the US, is trial a need to reform the criminal punishment system? If so, what are some alternatives that may achieve a similar purpose to the penalty of imprisonment? Explain the primary differences between criminal law and civil law? Practice Question: • http://thebusinessprofessor.com/what-is-criminal-law/ Resource Video: 2. What are the elements of a crime? Do you think the mental element of a crime is important? If a person causes harm Discussion: • without intent, is there less reason to subject that individual to criminal punishment? Donald is driving down the road listening to his favorite heavy metal songs. Practice Question: • He gets so excited that he does not realize that he is traveling 20 mph over the speed limit. A police officer witnesses the speeding, stops Donald’s car, and issues him a citation. Donald goes home and looks up the citation under state law. The statute indicates that speeding is a strict liability crime. What does this mean for Donald? Does it matter that Donald’s excessive speed was accidental? Would it matter if Donald were temporarily disoriented when driving due to a carbon monoxide leak in his car that caused him to lose the ability to effectively control his automobile? http://thebusinessprofessor.com/what-is-criminal-intent/ Resource Video:
TOPIC 5: CRIMINAL LAW & PROCEDURE - QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 1. What is “criminal law”? • Discussion: Do you generally believe that criminal laws are effective at curbing prohibited conduct? Do they effectively protect the health, safety, and welfare of citizens? Does a criminal penalty ever violate the purpose of protecting citizens? With the prison population at record levels in the US, is a need to reform the criminal punishment system? If so, what are some alternatives that may achieve a similar purpose to the penalty of imprisonment? • Practice Question: Explain the primary differences between criminal law and civil law? Resource Video: http://thebusinessprofessor.com/what-is-criminal-law/ 2. What are the elements of a crime? • Discussion: Do you think the mental element of a crime is important? If a person causes harm without intent, is there less reason to subject that individual to criminal punishment? • Practice Question: Donald is driving down the road listening to his favorite heavy metal songs. He gets so excited that he does not realize that he is traveling 20 mph over the speed limit. A police officer witnesses the speeding, stops Donald’s car, and issues him a citation. Donald goes home and looks up the citation under state law. The statute indicates that speeding is a strict liability crime. What does this mean for Donald? Does it matter that Donald’s excessive speed was accidental? Would it matter if Donald were temporarily disoriented when driving due to a carbon monoxide leak in his car that caused him to lose the ability to effectively control his automobile? Resource Video: http://thebusinessprofessor.com/what-is-criminal-intent/ trial
Topic-5-PQ.docx