We will cover two general areas in this class: "What is a Crime?" and "Crimes Against the Person." 

(This is a combination of Introduction into Criminal Law Part 2 and Part 3 for those who have taken my classes before! If you are looking for reviews on this class, you can search "Mike Traywick" and look at Part 2 and Part 3)

For the first 7 weeks, we will study “What is a Crime?” 

We will look at the underlying elements that make up a crime: Actus Reus, Mens Rea, Concurrence, and Causation. 

Almost every crime is made up of these four elements. 

We will get a concrete understanding of what each of those four parts are, and we will explore other factors in crimes that will increase our understanding of the topic.

I will provide a discussion outline that has mini-case studies on it that will help students work through these concepts. 

I will accompany the discussion outline with a PowerPoint presentation, but this is not a lecture-based class. 

There may be brief points where I teach on concepts, but I will engage every student individually and in groups in working through these concepts with me, and we will work in small groups from time-to-time as well.

As this is discussion based, the class schedule will be a bit fluid. Sometimes, students will bring up interesting and relevant points that we will explore because it enhances the overall experience. Sometimes, students will understand the topics clearly, and we will move through the topics quicker than expected.

But here is the general overview of the schedule:

Week 1 (August 20 - August 26): Intro to the Four General Elements to a Crime
- Introduction to the Class - Expectations
- What is a Voluntary Act? (Actus Reus)

Week 2 (August 27 - September 2): Crimes of Omission and Mental States
- Crimes of Omission
- General Intent, Specific Intent, and Strict Liability

Week 3 (September 3 - September 9): Mental States
- What is the proper Mental State (Mens Rea) for a crime?
- Mistake of Fact, Mistake of Law

Week 4 (September 10 - September 16 ): Concurrence and Causation
- When do the Actus Reus and the Mens Rea have to happen?
- Causation - How do we prove the harm?

Week 5 (September 17 - September 23): Substantial Factor and Unintended Harm
- What does it mean to be a substantial factor in a crime?
- What if something breaks the causation?

Week 6 (September 24 - September 30): Practice Problems - Identify the Elements
- Practice Problems

Week 7 (October 1 - October 7): What is an Inchoate (Incomplete) Crime?
-	Attempt
-	Solicitation
-	Conspiracy

Week 8 (October 8 - October 14): Practice problems (Identify the Inchoate Crimes)
- Practice Problems

Week 9 (October 15 - October 21): Test
- Put Your Knowledge to the test!

For the second half of the class, we will study Crimes Against the Person.

What is the difference between first and second degree murder? 

What is felony murder? 

What role does the "heat of passion" play in voluntary manslaughter? 

We will explore all of this and more in an interactive and exciting way. 

We will be studying the common law version of these crimes as they may be different in every state or country (which we will also explore).

I will provide a discussion outline that has mini-case studies on it that will help students work through these concepts. 

I will accompany the discussion outline with a PowerPoint presentation, but this is not a lecture-based class. 

There may be brief points where I teach on concepts, but I will engage every student individually and in groups in working through these concepts with me, and we will work in small groups from time-to-time as well.


Here is the general overview of the schedule:

Week 10 (October 22 - October 28): Homicide
- What is the legal definition of life? What is the legal definition of death?
- First degree murder

Week 11 (October 29 - November 4): 2nd Degree and Felony Murder
- 2nd Degree murder
- Felony Murder

Week 12 (November 5 - November 11): Voluntary Manslaughter
- Voluntary Manslaughter

Week 13 (November 12 - November 18): Practice Problems - Understand the difference between the homicides
- Practice Problems

Week 14 (November 19 - November 25): Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault and Battery, and Kidnapping
- Involuntary Manslaughter
- Assault and Battery
- Kidnapping

Week 15 (November 26 - December 2): Put Your Knowledge to the Test!
- We will finish up any bit of the outline not yet completed 
- Work on fact patterns to check our understanding
- May also do research on state or country laws to see the difference between the elements

Week 16 (December 3 - December 9): More Practice Problems and Wrap Up