LESSON 1 An Introduction to Criminal Law
MS. MEANS CRJ 100 - INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
I.
THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF LAW
Law: _________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Laws in the United States have three [3] sources:
A. ____________________: the written or codified law; “the law on the books,” as
enacted by a government body or agency having the power to make laws. The written form of
criminal law is called the ____________________.
B. ____________________: the body of judicial ____________________, historically
built on legal reasoning and past interpretations of statutory laws, which serves as a guide to
decision making, especially in the courts.
C. ____________________: the body of law originating from usage and _____________
rather than from written statutes.
II.
THE RULE OF LAW – “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW”
Rule of Law: ___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
The rule of law has been called “the greatest political achievement of our culture.” It has also
been called “the foundation of liberties in the Western world.” QUESTION: Why? Interpret the
quote below to find the answer:
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“Americans are free to disagree with the law, but not to disobey it; for [in] a government of
laws and not of men, no man, however prominent and powerful, no mob, however unruly or
boisterous, is entitled to defy a court of law.” –John F. Kennedy
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Complete the following statement regarding the rule of law:
The rule of law is important to Western democratic culture because it establishes a balance
between _________________________________ & __________________________________.
III.
TYPES OF LAW
A. Criminal Law aka Penal Law: __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. _________________________: the part of the law that defines crimes and specifies
punishments.
For examples definitions of and punishments for the following:
 __________________
 __________________
 __________________
 __________________
2. _________________________: the part of the law that specifies the methods to be
used in enforcing substantive law. In other words, the procedures by which legal
rights are enforced.
For example, rules concerning the following are part of procedural law:
 ____________________________________________________________
 ____________________________________________________________
 ____________________________________________________________
 ____________________________________________________________
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QUESTION: What is the result when a criminal law is violated?
B. _____________________: the branch of modern law that governs relationships between and
among people, businesses and other organizations, and agencies of government.
For examples, civil law includes rules for the following:
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
QUESTION: What is the result when a civil law is violated?
C. __________________________ body of regulations that governments create to control the
activities of industries, businesses, and individuals.
For example, administrative law includes:
 Tax laws
 Health codes
 Restrictions of pollution & waste disposal
 Building codes
 Vehicle regulation
D. _________________________: comes from judicial decisions and represents the
accumulated wisdom of trial and appellate courts in criminal, civil, and administrative law cases
over the years.
 ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

stare decisis: “standing on decided terms”- ____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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CHAPTER 4 VOCABULARY – CRIMINAL LAW – List 1
law
statutory law
penal code
case law
rule of law
criminal law
substantive criminal law
procedural law
civil law
precedent
appellate court
stare decisis
felony
misdemeanor
offense
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