Criminal Law –

cja354

(3 credits)

This is an introductory course in the study of criminal law, general legal principles, and how the criminal law functions in and affects modern society. This course highlights a variety of key topics, including the concept of crime and the development of criminal law, defenses to criminal charges, and a number of specific types of crimes, including personal crimes, property crimes, public order crimes, and offenses against public morality. Legal issues affecting punishment will also be discussed, as will ways the criminal law impacts victims of crime.

This undergraduate-level course is 5 weeks. To enroll, speak with an Enrollment Advisor.

Topics and Objectives

Criminal Law, the Concept of Crime, and Criminal Liability
- Identify the sources, purposes and jurisdiction of criminal law.
- Describe the adversarial system and the concept of criminal liability.
- Define accomplice liability.
- Define inchoate offenses.
- Describe the elements of crime: actus reus, mens rea, and concurrence.
- Explain how to read citations and brief a case.
Criminal Responsibility and Defenses
- Explain the nature of and types of defenses to criminal charges.
- Compare justification and excuse.
- Assess the legal aspects of competency to stand trial.
- Investigate the determination of insanity in the criminal law.
Personal, Property, and Computer Crimes
- Define different types of homicide.
- Define the meaning of corpus delicti.
- Distinguish between assault, battery, and mayhem.
- Identify sexual assault and the elements of sex crimes.
- Define kidnapping and false imprisonment.
- Differentiate between robbery, burglary, and theft.
- Describe computer and high-technology crimes.
Public Order Crimes
- Define crimes against public order, safety and national security.
- Identify crimes related to drugs and alcohol.
- Evaluate the criminalization of prostitution, obscenity and lewdness.
- Analyze federal and state and asset forfeiture. anti-drug legislation.
Crime Victims and Crime Punishment
- Analyze the resources related to victim advocacy and witness support.
- Explain the evolution of victims’ assistance and protection programs.
- Evaluate the goals of sentencing and alternative sanctions.
- Define plea bargaining and intermediate sanctions.
- Analyze forms of sentencing and their rationale.
- Describe the Eighth Amendment and its relationship to capital punishment.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

Criminal Law –

cja354

Criminal Law, the Concept of Crime, and Criminal Liability

Criminal Responsibility and Defenses

Personal, Property, and Computer Crimes

Public Order Crimes

Crime Victims and Crime Punishment

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