AJ 102: Concepts of Criminal Law

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2021
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 54
Lecture Hours : 54
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 108
Strongly Recommended: ENGL 101.
District General Education: D1. History and Political Science
Transferable to CSU: Yes
Transferable to UC: Yes - Approved
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

The philosophy and historical development of law, including the provisions of the U.S. Constitution. The concepts and definitions necessary to relate court decisions to statutes including those specific to correctional institutions. 54 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • explain the historical development of law and the philosophy of law
  • integrate constitutional provisions with the fundamentals of law
  • apply basic legal definitions and concepts
  • interpret court decisions in relation to the written statutes
  • apply statutory provisions to correctional institutions

Major Course Content

  1. SCOPE AND SOURCE OF CRIMINAL LAW
    1. Origin and Development of Criminal Law 
    2. Sources of Criminal Law
    3. The Purpose and Nature of Criminal Law 
    4. Concepts of Stare Decisis 
    5. Classification of Laws 
    6. Statute of Limitation 
    7. Case Citations and Appeals 
    8. Attorney General Opinions
    9. Police Power of the State 
    10. The Concept of Preemption 
    11. Ex Post Facto Laws
    12. Distinction Between Crimes and Torts 
    13. Definition of Terms
    14. Venue and Jurisdiction
  2. CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES AND PENALTIES
    1. Language of Criminal Statutes 
    2. Vague and Indefinite Statutes 
    3. Construction of Penal Statutes
    4. Conflict Between Statutes
    5. Penal Code Terms Defined 
    6. Felonies, Misdemeanors, and Infractions Defined 
    7. Punishment for Offenses Not Otherwise Prescribed 
    8. Initiative Measures
    9. Major Proposition 8 and 115 Changes 
    10. Prior Conviction—Penalty Enhancement
    11. Prior Convictions—C.Y.A. Commitment 
    12. Lesser Included Offenses
    13. When Jeopardy Attaches
  3. THE ELEMENTS OF CRIME AND CORPUS DELICTI
    1. Corpus Delicti
    2. The Criminal Act 
    3. Multiple Offenses—Punishment
    4. Proximate Cause 
    5. Criminal Intent—How Manifested 
    6. Types of Intent 
    7. How Intent Is Proved 
    8. Intent in Negligence Cases 
    9. Motive and Intent Distinguished
    10. Intoxication as Affecting Intent 
    11. Diminished Capacity
  4. CAPACITY TO COMMIT CRIME—INSANITY DEFENSE
    1. Persons Capable of Committing Crime 
    2. Children Under Age Fourteen
    3. Idiots 
    4. Ignorance or Mistake of Fact 
    5. Unconsciousness of Act
    6. Accident and Misfortune 
    7. Crimes Committed Under Threats 
    8. Insanity as a Defense 
  5. PARTIES TO CRIME
    1. Common Law Parties to Crime 
    2. Principals Defined 
    3. Penal Code Provisions
    4. Aid and Abet Defined
    5. Co-Principals Equally Guilty
    6. Accessory Defined
    7. Accomplice Defined 
    8. Feigned Accomplice
  6. ATTEMPTS—SOLICITATION—OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE—CONSPIRACY
    1. Attempt Defined 
    2. Abandonment of Attempt
    3. Possibility of Completion 
    4. Solicitation to Commit Crime
    5. Obstructing Justice—Compounding Crimes 
    6. Perjury
    7. Subornation of Perjury
    8. Bribery 
    9. Other Bribery Statutes 
    10. Falsification Crimes 
    11. Conspiracy 
    12. Overt Act in Conspiracy 
    13. Agreement Necessary in Conspiracy
    14. Abandonment of Conspiracy 
    15. Criminal Liability in Conspiracy
  7. LAWS OF ARREST
    1. Arrest Defined 
    2. Encounters and Detentions 
    3. Peace Officer Defined 
    4. Peace Officer Status Primary Duty
    5. Arrests by Peace Officers Without Warrant
    6. Duty Following Arrest 
    7. Private Person Arrests 
    8. Misdemeanor Citations 
    9. Probable Cause to Arrest 
    10. Entrapment
    11. Accomplishing the Arrest 
    12. Resisting Arrest
    13. The Miranda Admonishment 
    14. Arrest Pursuant to Warrant 
    15. Escape, Pursuit, and Retaking 
    16. Posse Comitatus 
    17. Threatened Offenses 
    18. Immunity from Prosecution 
    19. Arrested Person’s Rights 
    20. Law Enforcement and Civil Liability
  8. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PUBLIC PEACE
    1. Disturbing the Peace 
    2. Unlawful Assembly
    3. Failure to Disperse 
    4. Rout and Riot Defined
    5. Inciting a Riot 
    6. Lynching—Prisoner Rescue
    7. Disturbing Public and Religious Meetings—Hate Crimes
    8. Trespassing
    9. Forcible Entry and Detainer
    10. School Disturbance Laws 
    11. Disorderly Conduct
    12. Public Security and Safety
  9. DANGEROUS WEAPONS CONTROL LAWS
    1. Prohibited Weapons 
    2. Firearm Concealed on Person or in Vehicle
    3. Deadly Weapons
    4. Prohibited Weapons and Devices
    5. Tear Gas Possession 
    6. Illegal Use of Firearms 
    7. Firearms—Concealable Weapon Restrictions 
    8. Firearms in Public Places
    9. Related Code Sections 
  10. TYPES OF ASSAULT
    1. Simple Assault 
    2. Battery
    3. Exhibiting Deadly Weapon 
    4. Assault with a Deadly Weapon 
    5. Assault with Caustic Chemicals 
    6. Poisoning Food—Drink—Water—Medicine 
    7. Throwing Objects or Shooting at Vehicles—Dwellings—Aircraft 
    8. Assault with Intent to Commit Certain Felonies 
    9. Administering Stupefying Drugs
    10. Train Wrecking 
    11. Mayhem
    12. Abandonment of Assault
    13. Assaults—Justification and Excuse
    14. Domestic Violence 
    15. Victims of Violent Crime Statute
  11.  HOMICIDES
    1. Homicide Defined
    2. Murder Defined 
    3. Degrees of Murder 
    4. Penalty for Murder
    5. Proximate Cause—Felony Murder Rule 
    6. Manslaughter
    7. Voluntary Manslaughter
    8. Involuntary Manslaughter 
    9. Vehicle Manslaughter
    10. Excusable Homicide 
    11. Justifiable Homicide by Public Officers 
    12. Justifiable Homicide by Any Person
    13. Capital Crimes
  12. FALSE IMPRISONMENT—RESTRAINT CRIMES—KIDNAPPING—CHILD ABDUCTION—RAPE—UNLAWFUL SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
    1. False Imprisonment
    2. Crimes of Restraint 
    3. Kidnapping
    4. Kidnapping for Ransom—Extortion—Robbery—Rape
    5. Extortion by Posing as Kidnapper 
    6. Child Abduction
    7. Rape 
    8. Rape of Spouse 
    9. Unlawful Sexual Intercourse
  13. PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORALS
    1. Obscene Matter 
    2. Harmful Matter—Minors
    3. Contributing to Delinquency of Minor 
    4. Crimes Against Children
    5. Sodomy and Oral Copulation 
    6. Incest 
    7. Indecent Exposure
    8. Annoying or Molesting Children
    9. Loitering Near Schools—Public Places 
    10. Sex Offender Registration
  14. BURGLARY
    1. Burglary Defined 
    2. The Act of Entry in Burglary
    3. The Intent in Burglary 
    4. Structures Subject to Burglary
    5. Degrees of Burglary
    6. Punishment for Burglary
    7. Burglary with Explosives or Acetylene Torch 
    8. Possession of Burglary Tools—Unauthorized Keys—Devices
    9. Unlawful Forced Entry
  15. ROBBERY AND EXTORTION
    1. Robbery Defined
    2. Elements of Robbery 
    3. Ownership and Value of Property
    4. Miscellaneous Aspects—Increased Penalty 
    5. Punishment for Robbery
    6. Extortion Defined 
    7. Consent—Force—Fear—Threats
    8. Threat of Unlawful Injury
    9. Attempted Extortion 
    10. Obtaining Signature by Threat
    11. Sending Threatening Letters 
    12. Penalty for Extortion
  16. THEFT AND EMBEZZLEMENT
    1. Theft Defined
    2. The Act of Taking in Theft
    3. The Intent in Theft 
    4. Analysis of Types of Theft 
    5. Theft in General 
    6. Theft by False Pretenses 
    7. Theft by Trick or Device
    8. Theft by Embezzlement 
    9. Theft of Access Cards
    10. Theft of Lost Property 
    11. Degrees of Theft 
    12. Punishment for Theft 
    13. Petty Theft Prior Convictions
    14. Separate Multiple Thefts
    15. Receiving or Concealing Stolen Property 
    16. Related Thefts 
    17. Disposal of Stolen Property by Officials 
    18. Defrauding an Innkeeper 
    19. Articles with Serial Numbers Removed, Altered
  17. CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND ALCOHOL ABUSE CRIMES
    1. Controlled Substances Act
    2. Definitions 
    3. Opiates—Psychedelics—Stimulants—Depressants 
    4. Controlled Substance Possession
    5. Elements of Possession 
    6. Under the Influence 
    7. Transportation—Sale—Manufacture 
    8. Imitation Controlled Substance 
    9. Drug Paraphernalia 
    10. Place Drugs Sold or Used
    11. Persons Required to Register 
    12. Driving Offenses
  18. MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES
    1. Forgery Defined
    2. Intent to Defraud
    3. Types of Forgery and Fictitious Checks
    4. Penalties—Forgery and Fictitious Checks
    5. Arson
    6. Unlawfully Causing Fire 
    7. Possession of Flammables and Explosives 
    8. Crimes Against Insured Property
    9. Abandoned Appliances 
    10. Depositing Objects on Public Highways 
    11. Destroying Sign Barriers 
    12. Destruction of Landmarks—Trees—Signs
    13. Injuring Works of Art
    14. Injuring or Tampering with Aircraft 
    15. Injury to Jail 
    16. Invasion of Privacy

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Fictional or factual accounts of criminal law cases
Review criminal law cases posted on the California Courts website or electronic databases provide by the library

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Case Briefs analyzing California District Court of Appeals or California Supreme Court decisions

Examples of Outside Assignments

Students will review text material to prepare for discussion during class sessions
Study for chapter quizzes and final exam
Conduct research regarding California Appellate Court and/or California Supreme Court case decisions

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture

IGETC Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences

4H. Political Science, Government & Legal Institutions