I. Overview The Criminal Court Process
A. Heightened Public Scrutiny
B. Wide Discretion Throughout Process
C. Tightly Knit Work Groups
II. Categories of Domestic Crimes
A. Conventional
B. Economic
C. Organized
D. Political
E. Hate
F. Cybercrime
E. Consensual
III. Essential Elements of a Crime
A. Statutory Basis
B. Criminal Act (actus reus)
C. Criminal Intent (mens rea)
D. Court Determined Causal Relation of Action and Offense
E. Resultant Determination of Offense Against Society
IV. Criminal Procedures (flow chart)
A. Formal Processes
1. arrest (The Miranda Case)
2. obtaining an attorney (Colorado:
Public Defenders)
3. initial appearance
4. arraignment
5. Grand Jury
(History and Processes)-- Bill of Information6. pretrial events
a. motions
b. discovery
7. trial
a. bench
b. juries (example; voir dire)
8. jury instructions (example; affirmative defense)
9. verdict (reasonable doubt standard)
10.sentencing
B. Informal Processes
1. prosecutorial discretion
V. Significant Issues and Participants
B. Prosecution
C. Defense
D. Decision/Verdict
VI. Post-Trial Events
A. Sentencing (U.S. Sentencing Commission)
B. Appeals
Key Web Sites
Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures
Landmark Supreme Court Criminal Procedure Rulings
Characteristics of U.S. Criminal Justice Systems
Criminal Justice in the U.S. (2001)
Evolution of Death Penalty In the U.S.
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
Court and Sentencing Statistics
Anatomy of a Typical Criminal Trial
Technological Advances in the Court Room