10504902Criminal Law
Course Information
Description
This course covers the evolution of substantive and procedural criminal law and its impact on society. Students will analyze the basic elements of criminal offenses and the fundamental concepts of due process and fairness underlying American criminal procedure both before and after arrest.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Describe the different sources and types of law and the importance to the criminal justice system
    Assessment Strategies
    Quiz, Exam, Forum Post and/or Discussion
    Criteria
    Distinguish between municipal, state, and federal law
    Differentiate between law enforcement’s criminal role and limited civil role
    Describe the process in which laws are made and amended
    Define the role of courts in interpreting and shaping laws

  2. Identify the role of criminal law and procedure and the significance of the federal constitution to our legal system and society and identify and explain the limitations of the law and the constitutional reasons why this is so
    Assessment Strategies
    Quiz, Exam, Forum Post and/or Discussion
    Criteria
    Define Amendments to the Constitution
    Describe the role Amendments have within the criminal justice system
    Articulate the limitations of Constitutional protections to a degree of proficiency for law enforcement
    Analyze Supreme Court decisions that shaped policing procedures

  3. Identify general principles of substantive law involving various categories of crimes and defenses and identify the elements of particular crimes and apply that knowledge to factual scenarios
    Assessment Strategies
    Quiz, Exam, Forum Post and/or Discussion, Critical Thinking Essay
    Criteria
    Locate sources of state criminal statues and cases that further defined them
    Define elements of offenses to a degree of proficiency needed in law enforcement
    Identify laws that permit defenses to prosecution and apply them to simulated cases
    Articulate the concerns and protections in the criminal justice system of those who are mentally ill or cognitively deficient

  4. Apply procedural law involving the many stages of the criminal justice process from investigation, the charging process, the plea hearing, the pretrial and trial processes, to the sentencing hearing and appeals
    Assessment Strategies
    Quiz, Exam, Forum Post and/or Discussion, Case Study, Critical Thinking Essay
    Criteria
    Case study is of an actual investigation
    Describe the investigative methods, rules of evidence, and elements needed seek prosecution
    Cite barriers to prosecutions and methods that can be deployed by law enforcement to predict and overcome them
    Analyze the trial process, hearings, and appeals process at a circuit court level of proficiency

  5. Describe and explain the different roles of actors in the criminal justice process and the different perspectives they bring to a case or the law
    Assessment Strategies
    Quiz, Exam, Forum Post and/or Discussion, Critical Thinking Essay
    Criteria
    Articulate the social expectation of today’s law enforcement in regards to carrying out legal procedures
    Examine how cultural, social, and economic differences interact in the criminal justice system
    Defend your view on case studies of applications of law and criminal proceedings
    Analyze current influences that shape the police and criminal justice system