Criminal Law Essays

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Law of Causation Essay

Example essay. Last modified: May 10, 2021

Critically explain and discuss the law of causation, covering all relevant issues, including the general principles of causation and the situations in which the chain of causation is broken….

Process of the Criminal Justice System

Example essay. Last modified: May 7, 2021

The first part of the criminal justice process is the arrest. An arrest can happen whether someone has committed the crime or not. There are many circumstances where probable cause is a factor in why someone is arrested….

Evaluation of the Age of Criminal Responsibility in England and Wales

Example essay. Last modified: December 1, 2020

The current age of criminal responsibility in England & Wales is 10 years old, this ‘denotes the age at which any criminal justice system permits itself to bring criminal proceedings against a child who commits a crime….

Mental Health Issues and Challenges in the Courts

Example essay. Last modified: December 4, 2020

Mental health is a significant issue in society today. It is even more concerning when it is related to its role within the criminal justice system….

Discussion: Juries Cannot Be Trusted to Decide Whether a Defendant Is Guilty

Example essay. Last modified: November 18, 2020

Jury is considered as the battleground for the criminal process because it is used in most of the high-profile cases of fraud, murder, rape etc….

Evaluation of Canada’s Criminal Equity Framework

Example essay. Last modified: June 9, 2021

Canada's criminal equity framework is mind-excessive: government, common, regional, and city offices and associations all have an influence and offer obligation regarding the criminal equity framework….

Differences between Subjective and Objective in Mens Rea

Example essay. Last modified: February 9, 2021

The terms subjective and objective mens rea refer to two methods of assessing mens rea. Mens rea simply means guilty mind and denotes fault or culpability of an offence…

Legal Personnel Involved in a Criminal Trial

Example essay. Last modified: November 2, 2020

Using given case studies of criminal trials in different courts, explain the roles of both lay and legal personnel involved….

Examining the Issue of Police Induced False Confessions

Example essay. Last modified: December 4, 2020

One of the most leading causes of wrongful convictions are police induced false confessions. Police and courts do not usually keep records of these false confessions, and if the offender is convicted, it is much harder to prove they are innocent. …

Societal Consciousness and the Defense of Consent for Non-fatal Offences Against the Person

Example essay. Last modified: November 20, 2020

The defense of consent for non-fatal offences against the person has developed from society’s consciousness rather than from established legal basis….

Issues on Duress and Assessment of the Appeal of Erdemović

Example essay. Last modified: March 18, 2021

Defences are raised to excuse and justify criminal conduct, and if accepted by courts, they mitigate the sentence or acquit the defendant[…

The Relationship Between Psychology and the Law

Example essay. Last modified: December 4, 2020

Legal psychology involves the practical and psychological investigation of the law, legal institutions and people who come into contact with the law….

Should a Convicted Murderer Be given Lifelong Anonymity for Security Reasons?

Example essay. Last modified: December 4, 2020

The aim of this report is to investigate whether amendments must be made to the law regarding child killers being given new identities once they have completed their sentence and are released from prison….

Death Penalty for Juveniles in the Criminal Justice System

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

The following paper will examine the history of the death penalty, exactly what occurred during the case and why children are considered different under the eyes of the law. …

Evaluation of Proposition 63, California’s Safety for All Act

Example essay. Last modified: June 9, 2021

At this time in California, citizens must go through a background check to purchase firearms, but it is believed that this is not enough. Proposition 63 “The Safety for All Act”, states that citizens of California should not only have to go through a thorough background check to purchase firearms, but ammunition as well…

Issue of Adolescents Being Tried as Adults in Criminal Courts

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

Beginning in the 1970s and raising in the 1990s, there has been a significant increment in the quantity of adolescents attempted as grown-ups and an expansion to research the subject. …

Should Stand Your Ground Laws Be Abolished?

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

Stand your ground laws create a unique situation amongst people, dividing those who are trigger-happy and those who are in favor of gun control legislation….

Differences Between Murder and Manslaughter Charges

Example essay. Last modified: August 16, 2019

Defendants suffering from diminished responsibility should not be convicted for murder, as the person could significantly misjudge his mental state for his acts or omission by doing or by being part of the act such in R v Byrne [1960] case. …

Causes of Wrongful Convictions

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

The causes of wrongful convictions have been attached to miscarriages of justice that occur due to procedural errors and system actors….

The Plain View Doctrine

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

The plain view doctrine tolerates law enforcement officers to do their duties by allowing them to seize evidence without a warrant has to be in place as long as it meets the requirements and doesn’t violate the fourth amendment. …

Unlawful Surveillance – Caitlin Cobb and Joe Johnson

Example essay. Last modified: June 9, 2021

Cobb’s privacy and reputation were put on the line. Caitlin Cobb fell victim to the very few and underdeveloped laws that are in place to protect both victims and companies. The few laws in place are not equipped to protect individuals from the harmful and unguarded territories the Internet has to offer….

Pros and Cons of Hate Crime Laws: Indiana

Example essay. Last modified: August 6, 2019

State hate crime laws impose tougher penalties on criminals who target their victims because of the victim's race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. …

US Homicide Laws

Example essay. Last modified: June 10, 2021

In conclusion of this paper each type of homicide is a serious offense. However, getting convicted of first degree murder is going to represent the longest punishment period. In addition, justifiable homicide is going to have the least, to no punishment time depending on the situation….

Are Counter Terrorism Laws an Infringement on Freedom of Speech?

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

In June 2018, New South Wales passed new legislation to target incitement of violence. The law states that individuals who incite or threaten violence against people based on their race, religion or sexuality will risk a three-year jail sentence. Are these laws an infringement on western democratic traditions around freedom of speech or are they […]…

Issues in Non-fatal Offences Against the Person in Law

Example essay. Last modified: February 9, 2021

In 1861, the Offences Against the Person Act (OAPA) was consolidated. This was the main statutory provision of the assault-related offences and they were ranked in some sort of hierarchy of seriousness in the terms of actus and mens rea….

Miranda Rights in U.S. Criminal Law: A Modern Analysis for Legal Scholars

Example essay. Last modified: July 24, 2025

Explore the origin, script, and legal impact of US Miranda rights in modern criminal law for legal scholars and students….

Legal Framework for the Offence of Conspiracy

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

A conspiracy is an alliance between two or more people with the motive of committing an unlawful act or an act which though lawful in itself, becomes unlawful once it is the object of the alliance….

Impact of Legal Aid Cuts on Domestic Abuse and Immigration Cases

Example essay. Last modified: August 7, 2019

While campaigners against the cuts and reforms of legal aid in the United Kingdom seem to receive very little media attention, secondary sources of legislation ensure transparency of the most important and impactful measures taken by the government in creating political policies. …

4th Amendment and Police Body Worn Cameras

Example essay. Last modified: June 10, 2021

Freund (2015) studied the body camera issue and the 4th amendment implications by comparing them to other surveillance devices. In his study, he focused on dashboard camera recordings and the surveillance cameras. He later found that the main difference is that where those two devices are usually placed, an ordinary citizen can not have a reasonable expectation of privacy…

Examining Consent as a Defence in Criminal Law

Example essay. Last modified: June 7, 2019

The concept of consent is widely used in common law as a defence for non-fatal offences such as battery of assault….

Miscarriage of Justice Case: Sally Clark

Example essay. Last modified: October 5, 2021

This paper has looked at miscarriages of justice, specifically related to the case of Sally Clark and the expert witness evidence used in her trial. The paper has aimed to show that despite their increasing use expert witness come with inherent problems….

M’Naghten Rules: Knowledge of Wrong and the Windle Case

Example essay. Last modified: October 22, 2021

This essay will explore the understanding of M’Naghten Rules and the exploration of the Windle case. It will consider whether the “Knowledge of Wrong” as defined by M’Naghten is a satisfactory test of criminality or not, and explore the argument for a review….

Investigatory Powers Act: State Security and Privacy Rights

Example essay. Last modified: June 7, 2019

Whether this Act presently means that individual privacy rights are now balanced correctly against state security is a little more complex in nature….

Contemporary Hate Crime Legislation in the US

Example essay. Last modified: June 7, 2019

The rise in hate groups over the past two years has also been accompanied with the rise in hate crimes, particularly since the 2016 election….

Effect of Jogee and Ruddock on Law of Joint Association

Example essay. Last modified: June 7, 2019

This was a landmark appeal which was unanimously granted by the court of appeal portraying a reformation in common law….

Effect of Bad Character Evidence on Juries

Example essay. Last modified: June 11, 2019

This essay will discuss the seven gateways and the affect they could have upon a defendant….

Analysis of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act

Example essay. Last modified: June 11, 2019

What constitutes as resonable suspicion and whether is it discriminatory and if so, should it be reformed?…

Legislation to Criminalise the Financing of Terrorism

Example essay. Last modified: October 17, 2019

Australian’s first reaction was the amendment of the Criminal Code in 2002 to include the offence of financing terrorism….

Legal Aid, Sentencing, and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Impact

Example essay. Last modified: June 7, 2019

Since LASPO 2012 was implemented, more people are being denied access to justice….

Treatment of Omission in Criminal Law

Example essay. Last modified: June 11, 2019

The author in this essay will critically discuss whether it is the correct approach for acts to have a distinct treatment than omissions….

Issues with Discrimination Laws

Example essay. Last modified: June 11, 2019

This essay considers the law of discrimination, specifically considering how the law does, and ought to select those groups of individuals whom warrant protection….

Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act : Grenfell Tower

Example essay. Last modified: June 7, 2019

Once the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has concluded, the likelihood of subsequent prosecutions brought forward against the parties involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower is evidently high….

Voluntary Manslaughter and Diminished Responsibility Cases

Example essay. Last modified: September 24, 2021

Voluntary Manslaughter consists of three significant factors which create defences when a person is charged with murder….

OAPA 1861 Application in Non Fatal Offences

Example essay. Last modified: September 24, 2021

This essay will set out to explain the current law on non-fatal offences and examine whether the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 is satisfactory. …

Issue of Consent in Sexual Offences

Example essay. Last modified: June 11, 2019

This essay predominantly aims to discuss the issue of rape and the element of consent which sits at the heart of the fundamentals that rule the subject of rape….