CRJ 260 Exam 1 Study Guide (Part 1)
felonies against persons - Answer-the core offenses of murder, manslaughter, rape, kidnapping, and
robbery
felonies against property - Answer-the core offenses of felonious theft, robbery, arson, and burglary
all the rest - Answer-"everything else" offenses which derive from police power and public morals
police power - Answer-all federal, state, and local governments' executive, legislative, and judiciary's
power, including uniformed police officers, to carry out and enforce the criminal law
torts (noncriminal wrongs) - Answer-private wrongs for which you can sue the party who wronged you
and recover money (civil crime)
mala in se - Answer-behavior that is inherently wrong or evil
mala prohibita - Answer-behaviors that are criminal only because of statute or ordinance
, felonies - Answer-crimes punishable by death or confinement (in prison) of a year or more and a fine
misdemeanors - Answer-crimes that are punishable by a fine and/or confinement in local jail (generally
up to one year max.)
state criminal codes of statutes, model penal code, federal criminal code, municipal ordinances -
Answer-sources of criminal law
state criminal codes of statutes - Answer-criminal law created by elected representatives in state
legislatures
model penal code - Answer-proposed criminal code drafted by the American Law Institute and used to
reform criminal codes
federal criminal code - Answer-criminal law created by U.S. Congress (rely on administrative agencies
whose members are appointed NOT elected)
municipal ordinances - Answer-criminal law created by city and town councils elected by city residents
principle of legality - Answer-no one can be convicted of, or punished for, a crime unless the law
defined the crime and prescribed the punishment before the person engaged in the behavior that was
defined as a crime
the "rule of law" - Answer-the idea that government power should be defined and limited by laws
ex post facto - Answer-a retroactive law that does one of three things: (1) criminalizes an act that wasn't
a crime when it was committed, (2) increases the punishment for a crime after the crime was
felonies against persons - Answer-the core offenses of murder, manslaughter, rape, kidnapping, and
robbery
felonies against property - Answer-the core offenses of felonious theft, robbery, arson, and burglary
all the rest - Answer-"everything else" offenses which derive from police power and public morals
police power - Answer-all federal, state, and local governments' executive, legislative, and judiciary's
power, including uniformed police officers, to carry out and enforce the criminal law
torts (noncriminal wrongs) - Answer-private wrongs for which you can sue the party who wronged you
and recover money (civil crime)
mala in se - Answer-behavior that is inherently wrong or evil
mala prohibita - Answer-behaviors that are criminal only because of statute or ordinance
, felonies - Answer-crimes punishable by death or confinement (in prison) of a year or more and a fine
misdemeanors - Answer-crimes that are punishable by a fine and/or confinement in local jail (generally
up to one year max.)
state criminal codes of statutes, model penal code, federal criminal code, municipal ordinances -
Answer-sources of criminal law
state criminal codes of statutes - Answer-criminal law created by elected representatives in state
legislatures
model penal code - Answer-proposed criminal code drafted by the American Law Institute and used to
reform criminal codes
federal criminal code - Answer-criminal law created by U.S. Congress (rely on administrative agencies
whose members are appointed NOT elected)
municipal ordinances - Answer-criminal law created by city and town councils elected by city residents
principle of legality - Answer-no one can be convicted of, or punished for, a crime unless the law
defined the crime and prescribed the punishment before the person engaged in the behavior that was
defined as a crime
the "rule of law" - Answer-the idea that government power should be defined and limited by laws
ex post facto - Answer-a retroactive law that does one of three things: (1) criminalizes an act that wasn't
a crime when it was committed, (2) increases the punishment for a crime after the crime was
