BA103 Criminal Law
15-Day Lesson Plan
Effective: 15 November 2005
Week
Day
Day 1
Lesson and Assignment
Defining and Proving Crimes
Introduction to course. Overview of a criminal case. Examine various types of criminal justice
professionals. Identify theories of punishment. Explore sources of criminal law: case law, statutes,
administrative regulations, and constitutional law. Define burden of proof, presumption, and
permissible evidence.
Week 1
Essential Elements of Crime
Define what is a crime. Explain the theory of social harm. Explore the various levels of the physical
act of crime from evil thought to consummation. Explain mens rea and why it is a requisite for crime.
Understand the theory of causation.
Discuss Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1
Assignment:
Day 2
Essential Elements of Crime
Continue discussion of Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1
Review for Exam 1
Assignment:
Day 3
Exam 1: Introduction to Crime (Ch. 1 & 2)
Parties to a Crime and Inchoate Crimes
Identify the various parties to a crime. Define inchoate crimes.
Assignment:
Day 4
Defenses
Describe the various defenses of compulsion, necessity, and duress. Describe mistake of fact and
mistake of law as defenses. Explain the defenses of intoxication and insanity. Explain the defense of
justifiable force. Discuss the defense of entrapment.
Review for Exam 2
Assignment:
Week 2
Day 5
Exam 2: Parties to a Crime, Inchoate Crimes, and Defenses
(Ch. 3 & 4)
Crimes Against a Person
Explore various forms of criminal homicide. Define: assault and battery, and robbery.
Assignment:
Day 6
Crimes Against a Person
Define and discuss various violent sex crimes and understand what constitutes each one. Discuss
kidnapping and false imprisonment. Explain civil rights and explore hate crimes, looking at the most
recent legislation.
Crimes against Property and Habitation
Define and discuss crimes of theft, larceny, embezzlement, false pretenses, and receiving stolen
goods. Define and describe the crimes of burglary and arson against habitation. Compare how theft
and burglary differ.
Assignment:
BA103 Criminal Law
15-Day Lesson Plan
Effective: 15 November 2005
Week
Day
Day 7
Lesson and Assignment
Crimes against Public Order and Public Morality
Define: disorderly conduct, lawful versus unlawful assembly, public intoxication, drug crimes, and
non-violent sex offenses.
Review for Exam 3
Assignment:
Day 8
Exam 3: Types of Crimes (Ch. 5, 6, & 7)
Week 3
Introduction to Procedure and the Right to Counsel
Explain the purpose of procedure and explore various sources of procedural law. Explain the stages
of criminal prosecution. Describe the right to counsel and indigents’ right to counsel.
Assignment:
Day 9
MIDTERM GRADES DUE TONIGHT TO STUDENT COORDINATOR
Introduction to Procedure and the Right to Counsel
Explain what is meant by waiver of counsel and the right of self-representation. Explain the
withdrawal of counsel and under what circumstances it can occur. Define effective assistance of
counsel. Explain representation of multiple clients. Discuss the attorney-client communication.
Explain the contract to retain counsel.
Seizure of Person and Identification Process
Define an arrest. Distinguish between arrests with warrant and without. Explain the consequences of
an illegal arrest. Define temporary detention and explain upon what grounds it is valid. Explain the
grounds for and scope of criminal investigation. Identify various identification procedures: line-ups,
show-ups, voice, and scientific. Explain “due process” and the theory of impermissible
suggestiveness. Explain why identification evidence may be excluded at a trial.
Assignment:
Day 10
Search and Seizure of Property
Explain reasonable search and seizure with regards to probable cause. Explain how a search is
executed. Describe how a warrantless search may be justified: incident to arrest, automobile,
consent, exigent circumstances, and administrative.
Week 4
Review for Exam 4
Assignment:
Day 11
Exam 4: Procedure, Right to Counsel, Search, Seizure, and
Identification (Ch. 8, 9, & 10)
Government Monitoring of Communications and the Fourth
Amendment Exclusionary Rule
Explain government eavesdropping. Explain the 4th Amendment’s exclusionary rule in regards to
government eavesdropping.
Interrogation and Self-Incrimination
Describe various forms of confession. Explain what is meant by self-incrimination and the 5th
Amendment.
Assignment:
BA103 Criminal Law
15-Day Lesson Plan
Effective: 15 November 2005
Week
Day
Day 12
Lesson and Assignment
Preliminary Stages of Prosecution
Define pretrial release and bail. Explain the pretrial hearing. Explore the grand jury review and
perfecting the charge. Define duplicity, joinder, and charging in the alternative. Explain how
indictments are amended. Explain the bill of particulars.
Pretrial Motions
Discuss the various pretrial motions. Define discovery, statute of limitations, double jeopardy,
severance of offenses and/or parties, and change of venue.
Review for Exam 5
Assignment:
Week 5
Day 13
Exam 5: Amendments and Pretrial Procedures (Ch. 11-14)
Trial, Verdict, Punishment, and Judicial Review
Explain the right to a fair and public trial. Define arraignment. Explain entry of plea and plea
agreements. Explain a jury trial. Discuss the process of voir dire. Explain presentation of evidence,
including character evidence and evidence of other crimes. Discuss motion for mistrial and motion
for acquittal. Explain verdict and punishment. Discuss judicial review.
Assignment:
Day 14
Review for Final Exam
Day 15
FINAL EXAM
Holidays this term: