Exam Type: In Class

This course considers the basic themes and doctrines of substantive criminal law, including criminal responsibility, the significance of act, intent, causation and result, justification and excuse, and the rationales of punishment. We will study illustrative crimes including homicide, rape, and conspiracy. The course also considers constitutional principles of criminal justice as well as the distributional effects of criminal law and enforcement with regard to gender, race, and class. Students will be introduced to basic tools of statutory interpretation.