Abstract: The authors present a cohesive intellectual framework that views the law as an instrument of social control, providing an analytical tool with which students can interpret and understand doctrine. This work focuses on developing an understanding of principles and rules applicable to all crimes, rather than the detailed and disjointed elements of any particular crime. Cases-and-notes pedagogy, with excerpted materials, questions, and problems, illuminate the material. Problems enhance students’ understanding of the basic principles by testing their applications and interactions in the context of particular offenses.