Exam Type: In Class

This course considers the basic themes of substantive criminal law, including criminal responsibility, act and intent, causation and result, justification and excuse, and the rationales of punishment. The focus is on general doctrinal principles of the criminal law, usually including the following topics: defenses, insanity, conspiracy, attempts, and aspects of the law of homicide and rape. The course also considers some important issues in the administration of the criminal justice system, such as the scope of discretion. However, the focus is not on criminal procedure, but rather on the criteria according to which culpability and punishment are determined in the contemporary American criminal justice system.