Criminal Law Basics
Legality, Actus Reus, Causation, Harm, Concurrence, Mens Rea, Punishment
what are the seven principles of criminal law?
Sir Robert Peel.
Who is considered the father of modern policing?
Watchman, Legalistic, and Service styles.
What are the three primary policing styles?
Grass eaters passively accept bribes; meat eaters actively engage in corruption.
What are “grass eaters” and “meat eaters” in police corruption?
Fourth Amendment.
What amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures?
Justification defenses claim the act was necessary (e.g., self-defense), while excuse defenses argue the person was not legally responsible (e.g., insanity).
What is the difference between justification and excuse defenses?
To build relationships between the police and the community to solve problems.
What was the primary goal of the Community Policing Era?
Proactive policing prevents crime before it happens, while reactive policing responds after crimes occur.
What is the difference between proactive and reactive policing?
Force that violates department policy or exceeds what is necessary.
What is excessive use of force?
Protection against self-incrimination, double jeopardy, and ensures due process.
What rights does the Fifth Amendment guarantee?
The physical act of committing a crime.
What is Actus Reus?
Federal, State, and Local.
What are the three levels of law enforcement agencies in the U.S.?
A strategy that identifies and addresses underlying issues that contribute to crime.
What is Problem-Oriented Policing (POP)?
External dangers (e.g., violence) and organizational stress (e.g., shift work).
What are two major stressors that police officers face?
Right to a fair trial, attorney, and impartial jury.
What does the Sixth Amendment guarantee?
It refers to the guilty state of mind; it helps determine criminal intent.
What is Mens Rea, and why is it important?
U.S. citizen, 21+, high school diploma, background check, medical/physical exams, academy training.
What are the minimum requirements to become a police officer?
A location where crime is more likely to occur, requiring directed patrols.
What is a “hot spot” in policing?
To provide independent oversight of police misconduct investigations.
What is the purpose of Civilian Review Boards?
Excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel/unusual punishment.
What does the Eighth Amendment protect against?
Self-defense, Necessity; Duress, Insanity.
What are two justification defenses and two excuse defenses?
Increasing or decreasing patrols had no significant effect on crime rates.
What was the primary finding of the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment?
Addressing minor crimes to prevent more serious crimes from developing.
What is the concept behind “Broken Windows” policing?
Legal protection for officers unless they violate a clearly established constitutional right.
What is Qualified Immunity?
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963).
What case established that states must provide legal counsel to defendants who cannot afford it?