Chapter 7 Flashcards
Criminal laws
Provide an incentive for persons to act reasonably in society and imposing penalties on persons who violate them
Crime
Any act done by an individual in violation of those duties that he or she owes to society and for the breach of which the law provides that the wrongdoer shall make amends to the public
Penal codes
A collection of criminal statutes
In a criminal lawsuit, what is the government?
The plaintiff
What is the lawyer that represents the government called?
The prosecutor
In a criminal lawsuit, who is the accused?
The defendant
Who represents the defendant?
The defense attorney
Felony
The most serious type of crime; inherently evil crime. Most crimes against persons and some business-related crime are felonies
Misdemeanors
A less serious crime than a felony; not inherently evil but prohibited by society Many crimes against property are misdemeanors
Violation
A crime that is neither a felony nor a misdemeanor and that is usually punishably by a fine
Essential elements of crime
- Criminal Act
2. Criminal Intent
Criminal Act
The defendant must have actually performed the prohibited act
Actus reus
The actual performance of the criminal act
Mens rea (criminal intent)
“Evil intent”-the possession of the requisite state of mind to commit a prohibited act
Specific intent
Found where the accused purposefully, intentionally, or with knowledge commits a prohibited act
General intent
Found where there is a showing of recklessness or a lesser degree of mental culpability
Strict, or absolute, liability
A standard for imposing criminal liability without a finding of mens rea (intent)
Arrest warrant
A document for a person’s detainment, based on a showing of probable cause that the person committed the crime
Indictment
The charge of having committed a crime (usually a felony), based on the judgement of a grand jury
Information
The charge of having committed a crime (usually a misdemeanor), based on the judgement of a judge (magistrate)