I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Criminal Law

2. Course Prefix & Number:
CRJU 2101

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This is a course in substantive law, including the elements of major crimes and their possible legal defenses. This course will also familiarize students with the Minnesota Criminal Statutes and help prepare students by covering a large portion of the Minnesota POST objectives.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Criminal Justice, AAS, Certificate
Natural Resource Law Enforcement, AAS

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Interviewing and interrogation skills.
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations	Applying case law and statute principles to criminal elements.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Demonstrate understanding of legal requirements to arrest;
• Demonstrate understanding of legal requirements governing interrogations;
• Demonstrate understanding of legal requirements governing suspect identification;
• Distinguish between criminal law and criminal procedure;
• Demonstrate understanding of MN Criminal Statutes 609 Code;
• Demonstrate understanding of difference between Mens Rea and Actus Rea;
• Demonstrate understanding of difference between misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies;
• Demonstrate understanding of difference sentencing guidelines; and
• Demonstrate understanding of difference between Part I and Part II offenses.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Criminal Law and Criminal Punishment: An Overview
• What behavior deserves criminal punishment
• Crimes and non-criminal wrongs
• Classifying crimes
• General and special parts of criminal law
2. Constitutional Limits on Criminal Law
• Principle of Legality
• Ban on Ex Post Facto Laws
• Void for Vagueness Doctrine
• Equal Protection of the Laws
3. The General Principles of Criminal Liability: Actus Reus
• Elements of criminal liability
• The criminal act
• Actus Reus and the U.S. Constitution
4. The General Principles of Criminal Liability: Mens Rea, Concurrence, Causation, Ignorance and Mistake
• Mens Rea
• Concurrence
• Causation
• Ignorance and mistake
5. Defenses to Criminal Liability: Justifications
• Affirmation defenses and proving them
• Self defense
• Defense of others
• Defense of home and property
6. Defenses to Criminal Liability: Excuse
• Defense of insanity
• Defense of diminished capacity
• The excuse of age
• Defense of duress
• Defense of intoxication
• Defense of entrapment
7. Parties to Crime and Vicarious Liability
• Parties to crime
• Participation before and during the commission of a crime
• Participation after the commission of a crime
• Vicarious liability
8. Inchoate Crimes: Attempt, Conspiracy, and Solicitation
• Attempt
• Conspiracy
• Solicitation
9. Crimes Against Persons I: Murder and Manslaughter
• Criminal homicide in context
• Meaning of person or human being
• Murder
• Manslaughter
10. Crimes Against Persons II: Criminal Sexual Conduct, Bodily Injury, and Personal Restraint
• Sex offenses
• Elements of modern rape law
• Bodily injury crimes
• Domestic violence crimes
11. Crimes Against Property
• History of criminal taking of the property of others
12. Crimes Against Public Order and Morals
13. Crimes Against the State