3: Sources and limitations of criminal law
- Page ID
- 35579
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 3.1: Overview, Objectives, and Key Terms
- This page discusses sources of law and offenders' rights in the criminal justice system, distinguishing between substantive and procedural criminal law. It highlights the necessity of protecting the accused's rights for a fair legal process and examines the functions and limitations of law. Additionally, it classifies wrongs into civil, criminal, and moral categories and organizes crimes by their seriousness.
- 3.2: Critical Thinking
- This page highlights the significance of case law in comprehending the criminal court process and encourages research into key criminal cases. It explains how case law interprets the Constitution, emphasizing the Supreme Court's crucial role.
- 3.3: The Sources of Law
- This page provides an overview of the foundations of criminal law, distinguishing between substantive law, which defines crimes and punishments, and procedural law, which governs legal processes. It discusses the historical roots of criminal law in common law and its adaptation in American law, alongside the role of statutory law, administrative law, and the impact of court cases and precedent in shaping legal principles.
- 3.4: The Rights of the Suspect
- This page highlights the Bill of Rights, which secures individual freedoms and legal protections, particularly in criminal justice. It details major rights in the Fifth and Sixth Amendments, including safeguards against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and guarantees of due process and fair trials. The Seventh and Eighth Amendments further address jury trials and prohibit excessive bail and cruel punishments. Additionally, it discusses the declining use of capital punishment in the U.S.
- 3.5: Functions and Limitations of Law
- This page discusses law as a formal means of social control, contrasting it with informal mechanisms like social media. It emphasizes law's roles in conflict resolution and order establishment, while noting its limitations, such as reliance on community support, slow adaptation, and potential to reinforce inequality. Scholars critique these dysfunctions, underscoring the importance of critically engaging with legal systems to address issues of social progress and justice.
- 3.6: Civil, Criminal, and Moral Wrongs
- This page outlines the differences among civil wrongs, criminal wrongs, and moral wrongs. Civil wrongs are private disputes requiring financial compensation, criminal wrongs harm society and are prosecuted by the state, and moral wrongs relate to personal ethics without legal implications. It also addresses instances of overlap, such as in assault cases, and acknowledges actions that may belong exclusively to one category without corresponding legal repercussions in another.
- 3.7: Classification of Law
- This page outlines the classification of criminal law, including distinctions between felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions based on severity and intent, influencing legal outcomes like arrest and jurisdiction. It categorizes crimes by harm type and distinguishes between mala in se and mala prohibita. Furthermore, it differentiates substantive law, which defines criminal acts and punishments, from procedural law, which regulates enforcement processes.