BLAW EXAM 2 Flashcards
what is actus reus and mens rea and what is their purpose?
These are legal criterias used in criminal law and their purpose is to determine whether someone has committed a crime and if they can be held responsible for it.
What is actus reus ?
the action or behavior that breaks the law, like stealing something or causing harm to someone.
what are the characteristics of actus reus?
voluntary action, omission, resulting harm, causation, circumstances, possession
what is the difference between voluntary action,resulting harm and causation?
voluntary action is what the person did, resulting harm is the outcome or damage caused by that action and causation is did the action directly cause the harm.
what is mens rea?
the intention or mental state a person had when committing a crime.
what does actus reus translate to in english ?
Guilty Act
what does Mens rea translate to in english ?
Guilty Mind
what are the main components under the mens rea analysis?
intentional, knowing, reckless, or negligent
what is identified intentional under Mens Rea
person deliberately or on purpose commits the crime
example of “knowing conduct” under means rea
The seller knows that the product could hurt someone, even though they don’t want to hurt a specific person, but they proceed with the sale.
example of “reckless conduct” under means rea
The driver is aware of the significant risk of causing an accident by running a red light, but they do it anyway.
what is identified as negligent conduct under the Mens Rea
didn’t mean to, but should have been more careful
what is are two classification of crimes
mala in se and mala prohibita
what is mala in se
actions that are considered inherently wrong or evil, regardless of the circumstances. these include murder, rape, theft, assault and kidnapping.
what is mala prohibita
actions considered wrong because they are prohibited by law, but they are not inhrently evil or morally wrong on their own. These include speeding, fishing without license…
what is a felony
a serious crime punishable by imprisonment for 1+ years or death
what is misdemeanor
a less serious crime punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or fine.
examples of felony
murder, rape, roberry, drug trafficking, arson
what are inchoate Crimes
the intention and steps toward committing a crime
what are the 3 types of inchoate Crimes
criminal attempt, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation
explain criminal attempt
when a person INTENDS to commit a crime and takes ACTION toward completing it.
Explain criminal Conspiracy
agreement between 2 or more people to engage in crime, and one person takes action to move foward in the plan like buying supplies
explain Criminal solicitation
when a person asks, encourage or tries to convince another person to commit a crime, even if the crime is not carried out.
what is a white collar crime ?
non-violent crimes that are usually committed by people in business or government positions for financial gains.