Criminal Law: Statutory Law and Offenses

Penal Law

• Aims to achieve order in society by defining forbidden conduct and consequences
• Gives fair warning of proscribed conduct and its consequences
• Differentiates between serious and minor crimes
• Provides for a public response to particular offenses, including consideration of the victim and community

Difference Between Criminal Procedure Law (C.P.L.) & Penal Law

• C.P.L. outlines the procedure for making arrests with warrants, while Penal Law defines crimes and consequences

Key Definitions

• Law: a rule adopted by a competent authority that prohibits, commands, or regulates acts or modes of conduct
• Offense: any conduct for which a person may be fined or imprisoned
• Petty Offense: a violation or traffic infraction, punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to 15 days
• Crime: a misdemeanor or felony

Types of Crimes

• Misdemeanor: an offense punishable by imprisonment of up to 364 days
• Felony: an offense punishable by imprisonment of over one year

Physical Harm

• Physical Injury (P.I.): impairment of physical condition or substantial pain
• Serious Physical Injury (S.P.I): physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes death or serious disfigurement
• Deadly Physical Force (D.P.F.): physical force capable of causing death or serious physical injury
• Deadly Weapon: a loaded weapon capable of causing death or serious physical injury
• Dangerous Instrument: an instrument capable of causing death or serious physical injury

Criminal Liability

• Requires a forbidden act or omission, and the defendant was physically able to perform a required act
• Strict Liability: mere doing of the act is enough to make the actor punishable, regardless of mental state
• Culpable Mental State: intentional, reckless, criminal negligent, or knowing mental state

Criminal Acts

• Criminal Solicitation: causing a person to engage in criminal conduct
• Conspiracy: agreeing with one or more people to engage in criminal conduct
• Criminal Facilitation: rendering aid to a person who intends to commit a crime

This quiz covers the basics of criminal law, including statutory law, prohibited conduct, and the consequences of committing crimes. It also explores the differences between serious and minor crimes.