An overview which discusses the basics of criminal law: criminal statutes, criminal law players and procedure, and the potential outcome of a criminal case.

Most criminal law in the United States is statutory, defined by legislators rather than judges. Since 1952, parts of the Model Penal Code (MPC) have been adopted by the states in setting their own statutes. But the MPC is mixed with the common law in most Jurisdictions. In most states, the criminal code is a mixture of MPC and common law.

Felonies are deemed the most serious class of offense throughout the United States. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the crime, felonies are generally punishable by a fine, imprisonment for more than a year, or both.

A misdemeanor is a criminal offense that is less serious than a felony and more serious than an infraction. Misdemeanors are generally punishable by a fine and incarceration in a local county jail, unlike infractions which impose no jail time. Many jurisdictions separate misdemeanors into three classes: high or gross misdemeanors, ordinary misdemeanors, and petty misdemeanors.

Misdemeanors are usually defined as a crime which is punishable by up to a year in jail time. On the other hand, felonies are usually defined by the fact that they are punishable by prison sentences of greater than one year. Felonies are the most serious types of crimes.

An infraction, sometimes called a petty offense, is the violation of an administrative regulation, an ordinance, a municipal code, and, in some jurisdictions, a state or local traffic rule.

In this video, you will get acquainted with the legal term "Actus Reus".

This video discusses the role of a grand jury in determining whether a suspect should be charged with a crime.

What is a strict liability crime? This video discusses criminal laws that do not require the prosecutor to prove that the defendant acted with a culpable mental state.

Most crimes require what attorneys refer to as "mens rea," which is simply Latin for a "guilty mind." In other words, what a defendant was thinking and what the defendant intended when the crime was committed. Mens rea allows the criminal justice system to differentiate between someone who did not mean to commit a crime and someone who intentionally set out to commit a crime.

States have encountered many problems in using lethal drugs to bring about executions, from obtaining the drugs to the qualifications of those who administer them. After a number of botched executions, some states made all information about carrying out executions secret. This video reviews the problems and the legal issues presented by them.

A number of people sentenced to death have been exonerated and released. There are substantial questions about the innocence of others who were executed. This video examines the factors that lead to conviction of the innocent.

The video examines the law and practice of jury selection, including how jury selection is conducted, questioning of prospective jurors about sensitive issues such as racial bias, the exclusion of jurors because of their attitudes on the death penalty, and rulings by judges about whether prospective jurors can be fair and impartial.

This video examines the quality of legal representation for poor people accused of capital or other crimes, as well as the right of a defendant to a lawyer who is not representing defendants with conflicting interests.

Some death sentences are commuted to life imprisonment or another sentence. This video examines the power of the executive in exercising the commutation power and the factors that often influence the clemency decision.

Some serious criminal offenses are punishable by death, most often violent homicides where it is determined by the jury that the convicted offender lacks remorse. Capital punishment, commonly referred to as the death penalty, remains controversial and has been outlawed in some states.

The death penalty has been at the center of controversy throughout the country's history. Multiple campaigns attempting to eliminate its use have been mounted at various times. The most successful of these attempts resulted in a four year ban on death penalties throughout the United States.

In most states, first-degree murder is defined as an unlawful killing that is both willful and premeditated, meaning that it was committed after planning or "lying in wait" for the victim. Most states also adhere to a legal concept known as the "felony murder rule," under which a person commits first-degree murder if any death (even an accidental one) results from the commission of certain violent felonies, such as: Arson; Burglary; Kidnapping; Rape; and Robbery.

Second-degree murder is ordinarily defined as: 1) an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable "heat of passion"; or 2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender's obvious lack of concern for human life.

Involuntary manslaughter usually refers to an unintentional killing that results from recklessness or criminal negligence, or from an unlawful act that is a misdemeanor or low-level felony (such as a DUI).

Statutory rape refers to sexual relations involving someone below the "age of consent." People below the age of consent cannot legally consent to having sex. This means that sex with them, by definition, violates the law.

Sometimes called "the oldest profession," prostitution can take many forms, from streetwalkers and brothels, to sophisticated call-girl or escort services. Prostitution laws make it a crime to offer, agree to, or engage in a sexual act for compensation. Prostitution is illegal in all states except certain parts of Nevada, where it is strictly regulated.

Theft is often defined as the unauthorized taking of property from another with the intent to permanently deprive them of it.

Burglary is typically defined as the unlawful entry into almost any structure (not just a home or business) with the intent to commit any crime inside (not just theft/larceny).

Many states define robbery as theft/larceny of property or money through the offender's use of physical force or fear against a victim.

Larceny is what most people think of as common theft - the taking of someone else's property without the use of force. The Model Penal Code and the laws of several states place larceny and certain other property crimes under the general category of theft.

Fraud is a broad term that refers to a variety of offenses involving dishonesty or "fraudulent acts". In essence, fraud is the intentional deception of a person or entity by another made for monetary or personal gain.

Generally, securities fraud occurs when someone makes a false statement about a company or the value of its stock, and others makes financial decisions based on the false information. In this article, you will find information on common forms of securities fraud.

Tax evasion is when a person or a company purposefully underpays its taxes.

Embezzlement is defined in most states as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets.

Bribery is the offer or acceptance of anything of value in exchange for influence on a government/public official or employee. In general, bribes can take the form of gifts or payments of money in exchange for favorable treatment, such as awards of government contracts.

Forgery involves a false document, signature, or other imitation of an object of value used with the intent to deceive another.

The crime of solicitation involves asking, inviting, inducing or counseling someone else to commit a crime.

Conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime.

The definitions for criminal attempt -- in which the defendant ultimately fails to pull off the crime -- vary from state to state. But generally, attempted offenses occur when an individual has an actual intent to commit a crime (in legal terms, specific intent), and takes direct action toward completion of the crime. Typically, an individual will have failed to complete the crime, but this is not necessarily required.

Though state laws vary, to be guilty of solicitation, one must: request that someone else engage in criminal conduct; and have the intention to engage in criminal conduct with that person.

What is double jeopardy? This video discusses the principle as applied in the United States that a defendant should not be tried twice for the same crime.

A criminal defendant who is found legally insane (or "not guilty by reason of insanity") cannot be held accountable for crimes resulting from the condition. This article focuses on the Model Penal Code (or MPC) legal standard for insanity.