Criminal Law Commons^™

Standing In Reserve: A New Model For Hard Cases Of Complicity, Nicholas Almendares, Dimitri Landa

Articles by Maurer Faculty

The “hard cases” for the law relating to accomplices deal with the definition of what counts as aiding and abetting a crime. A retailer might sell a murder weapon in the ordinary course of business, while an accomplice might do nothing because their help was simply not needed. How do we distinguish between these cases? The Capitol Riot is a striking example of this sort of hard case because there were so many people involved in so many different and ambiguous ways. Outside of the conceptually easy cases of someone caught on camera making off with property or attacking officers, …

A Legal History Of The Regulation Of Assault-Style Rifles In Canada, R. Blake Brown

Dalhousie Law Journal

This article provides the first legal history of the regulation of “assault-style” weapons in Canada. A contentious part of Canada’s gun control regime is the firearms classification system that divides guns into non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited firearms. The sale of semi-automatic firearms, often based on military designs that could be quickly fired and reloaded, sparked concerns since the 1970s, particularly after mass shooting events. Canada adopted a classification regime relying on both statutory provisions that used technical details of firearms and Orders-in-Council to name models of firearms as restricted or prohibited weapons. Critics warned that this system allowed private citizens …

Book Review: Canadian Justice, Indigenous Injustice: The Gerald Stanley And Colten Boushie Case, F. Tim Knight

Librarian Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

"Knock-Knock" ... "Who's There?": The Fourth Amendment Dilemma Posed By Warrantless Police Encounters At Home, Meg Penrose

Faculty Scholarship

In a world where police abuses of power seem more common, where are the judges-particularly the originalist judges-who strive to protect the Founder's intentions? How is it that people living in certain states seemingly have less robust Fourth Amendment protections than others? This essay seeks to answer these questions and urges the Supreme Court to reassert its constitutional commitment to the Fourth Amendment so that all of us are, in fact, secure in our homes. The Court should accept the responsibility it has to provide uniform protection to all Americans and clarify the limits on constructive entry. If the Court …

Tracing The Roots Of A Poisonous Tree: On The Origins And Impact Of Criminal Terminology In A Civil Apprehension Scheme, Shani Mahiri King, Nicole Silvestri Hall

Articles (Current Faculty)

Language is powerful. It can affect how we think about and treat groups of people. Poor language choices have a massive impact on immigration law, an area of the law that determines how groups of perceived “outsiders” are classified and regulated. Language and bias in judicial opinions have been studied, but less research has been done on poor language choices in immigration statutes.

This Comment focuses on the harmful effects of poor language choices in immigration statutes, including the criminal terminology “arrest” and “warrant” in civil immigration apprehension statutes 8 U.S.C. Sections 1226 and 1357. Two fundamental problems arise when …

Adolescent Brain Development And Crime: Why New York State Should Increase The Age Of Criminal Culpability To Twenty-One Years Old, Julia Patz

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note argues that New York State should increase the age of criminal culpability from eighteen to twenty-one years old, aligning with scientific evidence on adolescent brain development. It contends that the current age threshold is arbitrary and unsupported by research, which shows that brain development, particularly in areas responsible for decision-making and impulse control, continues well into the mid-twenties. The note advocates for this policy change to improve outcomes for young offenders and reduce the harms caused by adult incarceration.

Dentistry And The Law: Did I Commit Fraud?, Dan Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The dentist is under audit by a dental plan due to issues with claims, but inattention or mistakes do not necessarily constitute fraud. For fraud to be established, specific conditions must be proven, including knowledge, intent, and damage to the dental plan. The burden of proof is high for criminal fraud, making it unlikely in this situation. The dentist's main concern should be a breach of their participation agreement and the need for better billing practices.

Estimating The Impact Of The Age Of Criminal Majority: Decomposing Multiple Treatments In A Regression Discontinuity Framework, Michael Mueller-Smith, Benjamin David Pyle, Caroline Walker

Faculty Scholarship

This paper studies the impact of adult prosecution on recidivism and employment trajectories for adolescent, first-time felony defendants. We use extensive linked Criminal Justice Administrative Record System and socio-economic data from Wayne County, Michigan (Detroit). Using the discrete age of majority rule and a regression discontinuity design, we find that adult prosecution reduces future criminal charges over 5 years by 0.48 felony cases (↓ 20%) while also worsening labor market outcomes: 0.76 fewer employers (↓ 19%) and $674 fewer earnings (↓ 21%) per year. We develop a novel econometric framework that combines standard regression discontinuity methods with predictive machine learning …

Creating A People-First Court Data Framework, Lauren Sudeall, Charlotte S. Alexander

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Most court data are maintained--and most empirical court research is conducted--from the institutional vantage point of the courts. Using the case as the common unit of measurement, data-driven court research typically focuses on metrics such as the size of court dockets, the speed of case processing, judicial decision-making within cases, and the frequency of case events occurring within or resulting from the court system.

This Article sets forth a methodological framework for reconceptualizing and restructuring court data as "people-first"-centered not on the perspective of courts as institutions but on the people who interact with the court system. We reorganize case-level …

Pretrial Release, Risk Assessment, And The Failing Movement Towards A Cashless Bail System: The Need To Target The Source, Brooke Hodgins

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note argues that the cash bail system perpetuates economic and racial disparities, leading to unjust pretrial detention for many individuals. It advocates for a risk-based approach, highlighting New Jersey's bail reform as a model that reduces incarceration rates and disparities while maintaining public safety.

Urgensi Pendidikan Camat Selaku Ppat Sementara Dalam Mencapai Nilai Keadilan, Sulkifli Sulkifli, Naily Fadhilah

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

The position of PPAT in its implementation does not rule out the possibility of a vacancy due to the vast territorial area of Indonesia, so that a temporary PPAT is needed, in this case the sub-district head or village head. Temporary PPAT generally has the same duties and authority as PPAT. However, in practice, in carrying out their duties and authority they often make mistakes. This is because not all sub-district heads appointed as temporary PPATs have a legal education background or knowledge about PPATs. The purpose of writing this article is to understand the process of appointing a sub-district …

Perbandingan Sistem Pemilihan Untuk Indonesia Yang Majemuk (Komparasi Dengan Sistem Chile Dan Amerika Serikat), Yulvia Chandra Cipta, Rosita Indrayati, Intan Permata Putri

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

General elections, including the election of president and vice president, legislative members and other regional election, are a manifestation of democracy and the basic principles of the nation in Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia currently adheres to an open proportionality election system. As time goes by and many changes occur, the electoral system adopted by Indonesia has many shortcomings, and various problems are also faced, such as identity politics and kinship politics. Based on the many differences in electoral systems in the world, the author examines two other countries, namely Chile and the United …

Putusan Ultra Petita Penanganan Kasus Korupsi Menurut Perspektif Hakim, Y.Sri Pudyatmoko, G. Aryadi

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

This research aims to obtain an overview of ultra petita decisions in corruption cases from a law enforcement perspective. The method used in this research is a normative legal research method, using a case approach. The research was conducted by analyzing the views of several judges regarding ultra petita decisions in corruption cases. The research results show that judges in handling corruption cases refer to regulations from the Supreme Court. In accordance with these guidelines, judges use comprehensive considerations in making decisions. According to the judge in the ultra petita decision against a convict in a corruption case, something like …

Ketentuan Tpks Dalam Kuhp Baru, Leony Sondang Suryani, Ahmad Ghozi

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Isu kekerasan seksual terus berkembang sebagaimana perkembangan kejahatan terkait kekerasan seksual. Hal ini dilatarbelakangi oleh semakin maraknya kasus-kasus kekerasan seksual di Indonesia. Untuk menjawab permasalahan ini, maka dibentuklah UU TPKS sebagai solusi dari maraknya kekerasan seksual di Indonesia. Dalam UU TPKS tidak hanya berfokus pada korban perempuan dari tindak pidana kekerasan seksual, tetapi mencakup juga yang disebut kelompok rentan. Namun demikian, reformasi Hukum Pidana Indonesia mengenal adanya KUHP baru yang di dalamnya dimuat prinsip-prinsip penting dalam perumusan eperti rekodifikasi terbuka, prinsip Keseimbangan, dan prinsip lain yang relevan dalam penyusunan KUHP Indonesia. KUHP juga sudah mengadopsi nilai-nilai yang ada dalam konvensi-konvensi …

Peran Perbandingan Hukum Pidana Terhadap Kebijakan Formulasi Delik Memperdagangkan Pengaruh (Trading In Influence) Sebagai Tindak Pidana Korupsi, Ade Adhari, Indah Siti Aprilia, Anis Widyawati

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Corruption is a criminal act that is intrinsically a disgraceful act because of its destructive power not only to social welfare, but also to the moral values that have been agreed upon and implemented by the Indonesian nation. In all its types and forms, corrupt practices should be qualified as criminal acts through policy formulation of criminal law norms. The act of trading influence in a global perspective is a type of criminal act of corruption, and practically occurs a lot in Indonesia. This can be observed in the cases of sugar import quotas, construction of sports centers and cattle …

To The Court Of Last Resort: A Prosecutorial Roadmap In The Aftermath Of State Violence In Chile And Colombia, David F. Scollan

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

A great deal of academic research and writing has been done on the most glaring examples of war crimes and crimes against humanity. But, only a small cadre of authors have endeavored to identify the ‘lower limit’ of when state action qualifies as these heinous acts. This Note strives to add to that area of legal scholarship aimed at bringing instances of in-country state perpetrated violence out from the behind the veil of sovereign police action and into the spotlight to call them what they are: crimes worthy of international condemnation and punishment. Specifically, this Note unpacks two spasms of …

A Reflection On Contemporary Issues Regarding The Death Penalty, Talia R. Harmon, David Taylor, Chelsea Henning

Journal of Criminal Justice and Law

The general trend in the use and application of the death penalty is an increasing movement toward abolition. This is reflected in the repeal of state death penalty laws, state moratoriums, and the reduction in executions and death sentences. The nature of the death penalty debate has also changed in the past two decades. Radelet and Borg (2000) provided an exhaustive overview of the nature of the debate surrounding capital punishment. This comment updates and reflects on some of the crucial contemporary scholarship that has been done in the following six central areas: incapacitation, deterrence, caprice and racial bias, retribution, …

Sexual Assault Of Women And Adolescent Girls With Mental Disabilities, Janine Benedet, Isabel Grant

All Faculty Publications

This Report considers the research that addresses the sexual assault of women (age 18+) and adolescent girls (12-17) with mental disabilities (disabilities that affect cognition and decision-making, including intellectual disabilities present from birth, dementia, brain injury and certain psychiatric conditions.) These victims are targeted for sexual violence at rates even higher than for women generally. Yet when these women report abuse to authorities, the criminal trial process struggles to provide them with justice, while the consequences of disclosure can be severe and participation in the criminal justice process particularly traumatizing for them.

Brief Of Exonerees As Amici Curiae In Support Of Appellant, Derrick Hamilton

Perlmutter Center Briefs

Amici includes a group of wrongfully convicted individuals who spent years ( for most, decades) in prison for crimes they did not commit. They submit this brief in support of Damien Echols' appeal to the Supreme Court of Arkansas out of concern that, left uncorrected, the decision below would undermine the fundamental right to prove one's innocence and as such suffer the consequences left. Additionally, exonerees suffer beyond anyone's imagination and this Court should not ignore the voices of those who have been similarly situated to that of Damien Echols.

Amici understands all too well the importance of such safeguards. …

“Prison Tiktok”: Incarcerated Life Shared On Social Media, Kayla Reid, Nicole Niebuhr

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Different areas of the criminal justice system interact with social media, but not much is known about how those incarcerated may be using it. A thematic analysis of “Prison TikTok” videos was conducted in order to gain a better understanding of what those incarcerated are sharing. The most represented themes in the sample are performance, food, prison views, and pains of imprisonment. Performance and food demonstrate creativity within the sample, and highlight how those incarcerated may be looking for creative outlets. Prison and pains of imprisonment include the realities of life incarcerated, and contain messaging that those incarcerated may be …

Blowing In The Wind: Cannabis Legalization, Insiders, And Methodological Insights From British Columbia, Jon Heidt, Johannes Wheeldon

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Legalizing cannabis in Canada has proven momentous in some ways and insufficient in others. This paper presents findings from a re-analysis of two studies on cannabis legalization conducted in British Columbia (B.C.) before and after legalization. Prioritizing public health over access appears to prolong stigmatization, complicate policing, and undermine efforts to disrupt illicit cannabis markets. We outline three contributions to the nascent post- prohibition cannabis research agenda. First, we demonstrate the potential for secondary data analysis (SDA) and model an approach to address recent concerns about this practice. Second, we show the value of insiders when assessing cannabis policy by …

“I’M Not Unemployed, I’M Unemployable”: Challenges Finding And Sustaining Work For People Requires To Register As Sex Offenders, Jennifer L. Wooldridge, Danielle J. S. Bailey

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Many individuals convicted of a sexual offense (ICSOs) experience various collateral consequences due to registration requirements, including income loss, unemployment, harassment, social isolation, homelessness, and more. Finding employment post-conviction is a difficult endeavor for many reentering citizens with criminal records, but for ICSOs, the difficulty increases due to their label as sex offenders. When these individuals are unsuccessful in obtaining steady, living-wage employment, it can result in mental health impacts such as depression, hopelessness, and other reactions. This paper seeks to analyze participants’ emotional and mental health reactions to their direct experiences with employment struggles due to registration. What feelings …

Stroking Reflexivity Into Practice: The Pros And Cons Of Resorting To Gatekeepers To Conduct Qualitative Criminological Research, Gabriela Mesquita Borges, Ana Guerreirro, Leonardo Conde

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Accessing research settings and participants can be deeply challenging for scientific research, especially when gatekeepers are involved. Gatekeepers are known to affect research through, among other reasons, their position inside institutions, their knowledge of the research topic, and their power over prospective participants. This article explores the methodological and ethical challenges that may arise from resorting to gatekeepers to access participants in qualitative criminological research. Using reflexive notes from the fieldwork of two doctoral research projects in criminology, this article emphasizes the central role gatekeepers can assume in qualitative research regarding gaining access to participants for a study and conducting …

Dying In Prison: End-Of-Life Care Services In A State Correctional Facility, Brook Cooley Webb, Mollee K. Steely Smith, Tusty Ten Bensel

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

The aging inmate population in American prisons has noticeably increased, contributing to a more significant number of offenders who will die in prison, thus forcing correctional facilities to aid in caring for prisoners at the end of life. Two common responses have emerged to deliver adequate healthcare to inmates, including hospice programs and End-of-Life (EOL) care services. This study aimed to explore the nature of EOL care in a state prison by interviewing correctional administrators, correctional officers, and relevant medical personnel (N=17). The current study provided insight into the inclusion criteria for inmates who utilized EOL care in the prison …

Reparation For The Irreparable: Is Punishing International Crimes A Universalist Hoax?, Kholoud Hafez Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis challenges the conventional discourse on international punishment that emphasizes the development of a single, unified system of international criminal justice. Instead, it advocates for a pluralistic approach that recognizes the fragmented nature of international punishment, which involves various actors, including permanent courts, special tribunals, internationalized tribunals, and domestic courts exercising universal jurisdiction. The sui generis nature of international crimes demands a comprehensive approach to punishment that considers multiple perspectives and norms of diverse actors involved. Rejecting the notion of universalism in determining punishment rationales and promoting accounts of sentencing consistency, the author asserts that a global framework can …

This Isn't A Reality Show: How Social Media Livestreams Of High-Profile Criminal Trials May Violate One's Right To A Fair Trial, Ryan Fenn

St. John's Law Review

(Excerpt)

Since the invention of television in 1927, the American legal system faced drastic changes. In 1935, the first trial was broadcast to the public in the case of Bruno Hauptmann. During the trial, “[e]laborate telegraph equipment” was installed in the courtroom, with “sound and motion picture equipment . . . plainly visible in the [courtroom] balcony.” From 1935 on, broadcasting technology has been utilized in the courtroom to convey the inner workings of certain courts to the public, which has stimulated debate over whether the use of this technology is conducive to a fair trial under the Sixth and …

Aspects Of The Penal Protection On The Right Of Defense Before The Investigative And Judicial Authorities: A Comparative Study, Abdulaziz Al-Hassan Dr.

مجلة جامعة الإمارات للبحوث القانونية UAEU LAW JOURNAL

The right of defense in front of investigation and justice authorities is part of the right of litigation that is assured by constitutions, national laws and international treaties. It is one of the pillars of fair trial because it is an original natural right. The rights of defense are not only to the accused person but they are so for each person having the status of a litigant in front of investigation and justice authorities whether in a penal , administrative , commercial and sharia case and whether this litigant is a physical person or a moral one.

The legislator …

Criminal Liability For Artificial Intelligence Crimes, Yahya Ibrahim Dahshan

مجلة جامعة الإمارات للبحوث القانونية UAEU LAW JOURNAL

Artificial intelligence crimes are considered near future crimes If not some of them have now begun, Technological development has helped in recent years - Which accelerated in the current period - In the emergence of many of these crimes, The advanced programming of some Artificial intelligence machines has given the ability to build self-experience, Enabling them to make individual decisions in any situations they face like human beings; So we aim from this study legalization of Artificial intelligence crimes To determine the responsible for those crimes and the penalty is imposed on it; The importance of the subject lies in …

Jordanian Efforts In Combating The Crime Of Terrorism, Mohammad Salameh Alsakarna

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

The study aimed to identify the Jordanian efforts in combating the crime of terrorism by using a comprehensive analytical descriptive legal methodology. The most important results of the study were as follows: A terrorist crime is an international crime because it endangers international peace and security, even if it occurs within countries and from groups that hold its nationality. Jordan's issuance of modern law to prevent terrorism came as a result of global circumstances represented in the growing role of international efforts aimed at combating and eliminating terrorism. Most of the criminal legislation singled out special provisions for the trial …

Fake “Universities” The Concept And Coping Strategies, Prof. Safaa Otani Prof., Hassan Al-Abdallat Dr

مجلة جامعة الإمارات للبحوث القانونية UAEU LAW JOURNAL

The increase in societal demand for higher education has resulted in a wide spread of global activities of universities and academic institutions. Moreover, the rise of e-learning patterns, distance education, and the increase of non-traditional types of education have prompted the development of quality assurance mechanisms as essential elements to the recognition and accreditation of academic institutions.

The problem that aroused, however, was in the exploitation of these models by certain entities claiming to be universities, idiomatically called the “degree mills”, and taking advantage of the educational environment to gain illegal profits, by selling “fake” degrees to individuals who pay …