The third essay is due at the end of unit 6. (The following information can be found in the course overview, Park University syllabus website, and Park University CLO website.)
To complete each of the three essays, you should:
- Select ONE Crime Against Property (ie. Burglary, Arson, Larceny, Embezzlement, Fraud, Robbery, etc.)
- Research a state and its statute concerning a Crime against Property and explain the elements needed to prove the case. (See Legal Research Link or the Webliography area)
- Research the historical common law for that crime and explain the elements. (See Text and the web.)
- Based on your research, compare the state criminal statute with the historical common law to see how the elements of the crime have evolved.
- Write a short essay, at least 1,250 words or five typewritten or computer-generated pages, describing the elements of the current state statute, the elements of the historical common law, and comparing the elements and how they have changed. Discuss possible reasons for the changes in the elements, how the interaction of criminal justice agencies and the law may have contributed to these changes, and suggest new changes in the statute, based on society’s needs today.
See Assignments and Grading for the Essay Rubric.
Paper Outline
- A Title Page
- Abstract that summarizes the essay
- Introduction
- Description of the elements of the crime under historical common law
- Description of the elements of the current state statute for that crime
- Compare how the elements of the crime have changed from the historical common law to the current state statute
- Discuss possible reasons for the changes
- Suggest new changes in the statute, based on society’s needs today
- In Text Citations and Reference page, using APA style (Links to an external site.)
You must demonstrate that you understand the terminology and the concepts used in criminal law. You must write using APA format for all source citations in both the body of the essay and in the reference page.
Read the Legal Research for instructions in conducting research in locating state statutes. All papers must use APA citations for information utilized from ANY source, to avoid plagiarism.