Discussion Questions

Draft a response to each of the bulleted questions below. Each question must have its own response and have a minimum of 75 words.

1.       What are the elements of a crime? How do the elements of a crime apply to the overall criminal procedure process?

2.       What recommendations would you make to better define/improve understanding of elements of a crime?

3.       If I am drunk or otherwise impaired and I cause an accident that kills someone, I did not have the specific mens rea to kill that person.  However, I will still likely be charged with a crime (likely vehicular homicide, but not with first-degree murder, which requires a specific intent to kill the person).  Is this an effective way to deal with this issue and to fairly charge someone with a crime?

4.       What are the various legal defenses which are used? 

5.       How does each of these defenses apply when in court and the overall criminal procedure?  How can we improve that accurate legal defenses are being used in the criminal court system?

6.       What are the rights of the accused? 

7.       How do the rights of the accused impact criminals, as well as police officers? 

8.       What distinctions can be made about the rights of the accused and how they protect the accused?