NCJ Number
102424
Date Published
1987
Length
315 pages
Annotation
This overview text reviews criminal laws governing all felonies and misdemeanors and addresses differences among states in their treatment of various issues and matters affecting criminal responsibility.
Abstract
The opening chapters survey the historical background and fundamental principles of criminal law. Basic jurisdictional problems are reviewed, as are rules which define a criminal act. The text discusses the need for showing that a criminal act was committed with a certain mental state and details the defenses available in a criminal case. Individual chapters summarize criminal law regarding assault, homicide, sex offenses and offenses to the family relationship, theft and commercial offenses (larceny, embezzlement, fraud, receiving stolen property, and white-collar crime), robbery, burglary, and arson. Other topics covered include forgery; drug and alcohol offenses; false imprisonment, abduction, and kidnapping; extortion and bribery; traffic offenses; crimes affecting the judicial process such as perjury and contempt; crimes against public order; and organized crime. Actual court cases are used as examples. Glossary and index.