CRIMINAL LAW

Crime and Justice Studies 3306

SPRING 2006

Professor: Andrew J. Kasten, J.D.

Time / Location: Wednesdays, 7:00 – 9:45 p.m.– CB 1.104
Office Hours: By appointment
Contact Information: andrew.kasten@utdallas.edu; 469-964-4645

Course Description and Objectives:

CJS 3306 examines the statutory basis of crime and the legal requirements surrounding
“mens rea” and legally permissible defenses permitted under criminal due process.
Emphasis is placed on both criminal statutes and case law (taken from UTD catalog).

• In short, this course is an introduction to criminal law. The course is designed to

provide students with a solid understanding of the essential elements of crime in
order to establish “culpability.”
• A thorough examination of all the major property-based and habitation-based
crimes, crimes against persons, inchoate offenses and sex offenses.
• In addition, students will need to identify: parties to a crime, possible defenses
and classifications of various crimes and will learn to distinguish common law,
statutory law and the Model Penal Code. Students will be expected to engage in
meaningful discussion and debate surrounding criminal responsibility and theories
of punishment.
• Although some reference to and discussion of ‘criminal procedure’ is necessary to
the facilitation of meaningful discussion, the emphasis of this course is on the
criminal act itself.
• Students are advised to learn and incorporate appropriate terminology useful in
critically analyzing criminal laws.

Required Text:

• Criminal Law (9th Ed.), Gardner and Anderson, 2005, Thomson Publishing
(awaits you and your checkbook at the campus bookstore).
• Additional readings will be provided in class or via WebCT.

Rules, Regulations and All Things Considered Highly Important:

• Academic Integrity. It is the policy of The University of Texas at Dallas that

acts of scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarizing
(including the failure to properly cite sources), fabrication of information or
citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty of others, having unauthorized
possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work

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 previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic
work of other students.

o All violations will be reported to the Dean of Students.

o For further information, see the University catalog for a detailed
explanation (or p.52 of your student planner). The following links
provide guidance and clarification:
http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/chapter49.html;
http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-
AcademicIntegrity.html.

• Email. All email correspondence to me must be sent from a valid UTD email
account (see FERPA). I will not be able to respond to any other email address.

• Disability Services. UTD is committed to providing educational opportunities

for all persons. If you anticipate needing accommodations for learning
differences, please let me know. If you require accommodations, please make
sure that you are properly registered with the Disabilities Services Office (972)
883-2098.

• Course Announcements. Course announcements will be made in class, via class

emails or WebCT. You are responsible for keeping up with all announcements
(e.g. assignments, schedule changes, cancellations, etc.).

• Distractions, Annoyances and Nuisances…Oh My!

o If you insist on having a cell phone or any other electronic device with
you while in class, turn it off before your arrival. Laptops are permissible
for note-taking purposes.
o Be respectful to one another. Much discussion will take place in class.
Class sessions will be more beneficial and enjoyable for everyone
involved if we hear each other out before launching a response. People
are entitled to their opinions. Sometimes, even in the world of criminal
law, there is not always a “right” and a “wrong.” Be prepared to see
things from a different point of view. Debate is great, but anyone who is
disrespectful to anyone else will be asked to leave.
o Food / drink are allowed with conditions. This course takes place in the
evening, and it is three (3) hours long. You need nourishment to keep
your mind active. Snacks are fine. Use good judgment. I don’t
encourage trays of food or allow for pizza delivery. Focus on engaging
and learning -- listening, participating and note-taking.

• Expectations.

o Attend class regularly and be on time. It is your responsibility to know

the material presented in lectures, discussions, videos and the text. If you

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 must miss a class, make the necessary arrangements to obtain the notes
from someone else.
o Participate. Not only should you actively listen to lectures and
discussions, but please ask questions when you are unclear on something
presented in class.
o Read assigned materials prior to each class. This will make it easier for
you to follow and understand the material as well as allow for the
facilitation of meaningful class discussion. You also want to avoid
looking bad in front of your peers for not having prepared that day.
o You man not reschedule a quiz or exam for any reason other than a
documented medical emergency.

• Dates of importance.
o Drop deadline (without a “W”) -- 1/25/06
o Spring Break -- no class -- 3/08/06
o Midterm grades due -- 3/13/06
o Drop deadline (with a “WP/WF”) -- 3/16/06
o Last class in CJS 3306 -- 4/19/06
o Final examination -- 4/26/06
o Grades due -- 5/03/06
o Grades available online -- 5/05/06
o Graduation / Commencement -- 5/06/06

Grading:

Weekly quiz grade: 20%

Examinations (3): 60% (20% each)
Attendance / Participation: 20%
Total: 100% / “bubble point” available

• Examinations will consist of some combination of multiple choice, matching,

true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short answer or short essay questions. Each exam is
worth 100 points (20% overall). Exam questions will be taken from class lectures
and assigned readings as well as any videos or guest speakers. Any material
covered in class may potentially be a test question.

• Weekly quizzes -- I will hand out a weekly quiz on eleven (11) of our class
sessions together (excluding days for Exam I, Exam II and first class session). I
will take the best nine (9) of those for each of you. Practically speaking, if you
must miss a class session and/or fare poorly on 1 or 2 of the quizzes, you may
exclude them.

• Attendance / Participation – I expect you to come prepared to class, to engage in

classroom discussion, to be attentive and ask questions when clarification is
needed. In addition, this portion of your grade may include in-class as well as
out-of-class assignments.

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 Tentative Course Calendar and Assigned Readings

Class 1: 1/11/06 – Introduction to Criminal Law; syllabus; introductions (surveys);

exercise; video.

Assignment: Chapters 1, 2 and 9; case: Regina v. Dudley and Stephens.

Class 2: 1/18/06 -- Chapters 1, 2 and 9 / Criminal Law; Purpose, Scope & Sources;
Jurisdiction; case discussion

Class 3: 1/25/06 – Chapter 8 / Theories of Punishment

Class 4: 2/01/06 – Chapters 3, 4 / Essential Elements of a Crime; Criminal Liability

Class 5: 2/08/06 – Exam I; The Insanity Defense / video

Class 6: 2/15/06 – Chapters 5, 6 / Criminal Responsibility and Capacity; Use of Force

Class 7: 2/22/06 – Chapters 13, 14 and 15 / Crimes Against Property and Habitation

Class 8: 3/01/06 – Chapter 11 / Crimes Against the Person -- Homicide

Spring Break

Class 9: 3/15/06 – Chapters 11 and 12 / Crimes Against the Person

Class 10: 3/22/06 – Exam II; Chapter 16 / Rape; Sexual Assault

Class 11: 3/29/06 – The World of XXX / Chapter 17

Class 12: 4/05/06 – Mistake, Ignorance & Other Puzzling Defenses / Chapter 7

Class 13: 4/12/06 – 9/11 and The Crime of Terror / Chapter 19

Class 14: 4/19/06 – TBA / Student’s Choice

Final Exam: 4/26/06 – 7 p.m.

I reserve the right to make additions or subtractions to this syllabus. All information --
dates and assignments included on this syllabus are subject to change.

“Society prepares the crime; the criminal commits it.”

-HENRY THOMAS BUCKLE