Criminal Law

The purpose of this book is to give the reader an overall understanding of criminal law in the United States. This text covers most of the basics that similar books provide but does so in a more straightforward manner. This book is written using language that is easy to understand and terms currently used in the industry. This text is created to help students build a solid foundation of criminal law knowledge to assist them not only with future academic endeavors but for continued use in the field itself. This text is designed, primarily, for first year undergraduate students who are majoring in criminal justice but is suitable for anyone who has an interest in the field. An introductory course in criminal law is required by many colleges and universities for students majoring in criminal justice. For most criminal justice students, this is one of the first courses they take in their major so it is vital that they start off with a solid foundation. In my time working with students I have discovered that this particular course helps to set the tone for the rest of their criminal justice academic work so it is vital to create a solid connection. Topics covered in this text include history of criminal law, criminal liability, and limitations on the law as well as an in-depth look at the most common criminal codes. We will explore crimes against persons (homicide, sex offenses, assaults, etc.) as well as crimes against property (larceny, burglary, trespass, etc.). A unique feature of this text is that actual criminal statutes will be used to detail and demonstrate how criminal law is applied in the real world rather than generic explanations. These statutes are supplemented with information from actual cases in which they were applied.