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 fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):

Conservation Officer Preparation AAS
Criminal Justice Certificate
MN Peace Officer AAS
Peace Officer/Public Safety Transfer Pathway AS

 

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:

• Identify the basic organization, purpose, definitions and principles of the Minnesota State Statutes;
• Identify the elements of crimes as stated in the Minnesota State Statutes;
• Identify Minnesota State Statutes relating to weapons, chemical agents, electronic control weapons, and interference with public property;
• Identify the elements of the Minnesota Traffic Enforcement Code and Driving While Impaired crimes;
• Identify special Minnesota peace officer duties associated with specific statutes; and
• Evaluate situations to determine proper application of Minnesota State Statutes.

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
• Identify liberating practices that increase equitable outcomes and inclusion for equal justice
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