Unit 2 Criminal Law

Unit II Essay

In this assignment, you will refer back to the three handouts indicated below and answer the questions associated with them. You will find these handouts linked within the Unit II Study Guide. Both items listed below will be responded to within the same document which you will then submit. The response to each item will consist of at least 200 words each, and any sources used, including your textbook, should be cited and referenced properly at the end of your responses using APA formatting. It is not necessary to copy the items below into your document; however, please compose essays that include a clear introduction, body, and conclusion:

1. After reading “What Constitutes the Corpus Delecti of an Offense,” please answer the following questions. How can the corpus delecti of robbery be demonstrated? Of theft? Why did the court conclude that, “In this case, the evidence does not conclusively establish that Hoke’s purse was taken forcibly from her. The evidence does, however, support an inference that she was robbed”?

2. After reading “For Purposes of Criminal Attempt…,” please answer the following questions. Do you agree that the girls had taken a substantial step toward the commission of a targeted offense? What test does the court establish for Tennessee to determine whether a substantial step has been taken? Would your answer be different if Tennessee used the last-step test or the physical proximity test? If so, how? Do you think that the court, in using common law rules of construction, modifies the legislative enactment? Is the court using its judgment to replace that of the drafters of the statute? Explain your answer.

3. After reading, “Can a Private Corporation be held Liable…,” please answer the following questions. In this case, McIlwain School Bus Lines, Inc. argued that the offense of homicide by vehicle could not be committed by a corporation. On what grounds did the corporation base its arguments? Why did the court conclude that a corporation was a “person” for purposes of the law? How was such a conclusion reached? What are the potential legal ramifications of granting the status of “person” to a corporation?

BCJ 3601, Criminal Law 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Define terms related to criminal law. 1.1 Define terms related to criminal liability and the elements of crimes 1.2 Explain the concept of an inchoate crime.

3. Analyze legal issues presented in court cases.

3.1 Evaluate whether simple negligence can provide the basis for criminal liability. 3.2 Determine what constitutes the corpus delicti of an offense as well as what constitutes a

“substantial step” toward commission of a target offense.

4. Analyze key concepts related to criminal law. 4.1 Identify the crime of attempt. 4.2 Explain the common law categories used to describe parties to a crime. 4.3 Compare conspiracy and criminal solicitation.

Reading Assignment Chapter 2: Criminal Liability and the Essence of Crime Chapter 3: Expanding the Concept of Crime Chapter 4: Extending Criminal Liability: Inchoate Offenses and Parties to Crime Read the following handouts: “What Constitutes the Corpus Delicti of an Offense?” “For Purposes of Criminal Attempt, What Constitutes A ‘Substantial Step’ Toward Commission of the Targeted Offense?” “Can a Private Corporation be Held Liable for the Crime of Homicide?

Unit Lesson Please view the Unit II, Part 1 Presentation and Unit II, Part 2 Presentation located underneath the Unit II Study Guide in your course in Blackboard.

UNIT II STUDY GUIDE

Criminal Liability