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1: Defining Terms

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  • Page ID
    67942

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    Learning Objectives
    • Define crime.
    • Examine the criminal act.
    • Distinguish between a crime and a tort.
    • Differentiate between common law and statutory law.
    • Understand the role of substantive law versus procedural law.
    • Identify when the letter of the law and the spirit of the law is applied.
    • Summarize the Latin term, Corpus Delicti.
    • Recognize a confession versus an admission.

    • 1.1: What is Crime?
      This page outlines the differences between crime and deviance, defining crime in California as law-violating behavior with formal punishments. It details the elements necessary for proving crime—actus reus and mens rea—and contrasts torts as civil wrongs. The page also introduces the concepts of common law and statutory law, while explaining substantive criminal law's role in defining crimes and penalties.
    • 1.2: Phases of the Criminal Justice Process
      This page outlines the five phases of procedural law in the criminal justice system: investigative, pre-trial, trial, sentencing, and post-conviction. Each phase has specific laws governing it.
    • 1.3: Letter of the Law versus Spirit of the Law
      This page explains important legal concepts, including the difference between the letter and spirit of the law, which affects enforcement and discretion. It discusses corpus delicti, which outlines essential crime elements like actus reus and mens rea, highlighting the importance of evidence in criminal cases. The text also clarifies that confessions must be voluntary to be admissible in court, while admissions may imply guilt but are often less definitive.
    • 1.4: Chapter Summary
      This page provides an overview of critical concepts in criminal law, including definitions of crime and torts, and distinguishes between common and statutory law. It explains the components of a crime—actus reus and mens rea—and outlines the difference between substantive and procedural law. The page includes key legal terms, review questions for comprehension, and offers a historical context with Rosa Parks, highlighting the relationship between law and civil rights.

    This page titled 1: Defining Terms was last modified on Sat, 03 Oct 2026 18:42:38 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by George Cartwright.