Concepts of Criminal Law – discussion week 1

(1b) Crimes can be classified or graded according to many schemes. The most common are felony or misdemeanor. Typically a crime is a felony if it is punishable by at least one year in a state prison. Misdemeanors are punishable by one year or less in a local jail.

Some crimes cover behavior that is malum in se, which means bad in itself or inherently evil. Murder, rape, and robbery are examples. Other crimes cover behavior that is unlawful only because the law says it is. These are called malum prohibitum.

Please respond to the following prompts: ◦Why do you think the United States incarcerates so many more people than other countries? ◦According to the “principle of utility,” is it appropriate to incarcerate such large numbers of people? ◦Is it appropriate to incarcerate minorities disproportionately to their representation in United States society?

Samaha, J. (2013). Criminal Law, 11e, 11th Edition. ISBN: 9781285630731

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