Criminal Law
POL355/01 Fall 2011
Course Information

Instructor: Paul R. Zuckerman
Office: FOB 2
Office hours: M & R 10:45 - 11:45, T 9:30 - 11:30
In addition to the above fixed times, I am normally here a substantial part of every day the College is open. Please feel free to drop by. You can also make an appointment by speaking with me at the end of class or sending me an e-mail.
Phone: (845) 257-3516
Fax: (845) 257-3996
E-mail address: zuckerpr@newpaltz.edu
Web page: http://www.newpaltz.edu/~zuckerpr
Home page for this course: http://newpaltz.edu/~zuckerpr/crim-law/crim-law-head.htm

This course is about substantive criminal law. We will study the structure and principles of criminal law, including the doctrines that govern the definitions of offenses, particularly the culpability elements of offense definitions. We will see the application of these principles to some of the more serious crimes, specifically those that involve sexual misconduct or death.

We will not be concerned with arrest or trial processes, or the rights of criminal defendants. These topics are part of criminal procedure. We will not be concerned with why people commit crimes, or why societies label certain behaviors as criminal. These topics are part of criminology. We will pay some attention to how the state can prove what it needs to prove, which is the law of evidence, but our main focus will be on what the state needs to prove.

Text:
Criminal Law: A Contemporary Approach by Bloch & McMunigal
Aspen Publishers.
ISBN: 0-7355-3965-0.

Attendance.
Attendance means that you will be in class ON TIME and stay for the entire class period. I will conduct much of each class as a discussion. These discussions will be opportunities for you to build and validate your understanding of the material. Therefore, your attendance and participation are major determinants of what you will learn from the course. Bring your textbook to every class meeting.

I will assume from your presence that you have constructed some useful understandings from the discussions. I will infer from your absence that you have not. Accordingly, I will deduct one-half point from your course average for each absence beyond three. (I will compute your course average on a twelve-point scale on which A = 12, A- = 11, etc.) This deduction is not a penalty; I assume all absences are necessary. It is a method of quantifying and reporting an estimate of what you have learned from the course.

Class preparation.
For most classes I will assign readings from the text, from additional material that I will supply, or from material in the library. I will expect you to study and extract certain information and generalizations from these readings. The assignments are posted on Blackboard. Plan to spend at least three hours preparing for each of class.

During the class discussions, I will expect people to participate voluntarily, but I will also call upon people by name. Be ready to participate.

Written assignments.
I will give written assignments that I will evaluate by their content, organization, and compliance with scholarly standards of English usage. Submit your work by uploading it in the Submit Assignments section of Blackboard. Use an 8½ x 11, double-spaced format and one-inch margins.
I do not accept hand-written work.
I do not accept late work.

Things to bring to every class
Your textbook.
Printed copies of any additional assigned readings.
Copies of any work you have submitted.

Examinations.
During the semester, I will give two in-class exams on dates that I will announce in advance.

The time for the final exam is listed in the College's final exam schedule on the internet.

I do not give make-up exams for missed in-class exams. I will excuse you from an in-class or final exam only if you present substantial documentation of a serious illness or personal emergency that prevented attendance.

Grades.
I will compute your grade from a course average with the following weights:
Two in-class exams - 20% each.
Written assignments - 20%.
Final exam - 40%.
I will adjust this average according to the attendance policy. I will also adjust this average upwards if your are consistently prepared when I call on you during the class.

Canceled Classes
If I have to cancel a class, I will try to post an announcement on Blackboard. If you have any doubts, you should check Blackboard and your e-mail before you travel to the College. You should beware of anonmyous announcements posted in the classroom or on the door.

Notice.
I do not permit my classes to be recorded.
I enforce the College policies that prohibit eating and drinking in classrooms. Please cooperate by respecting these regulations. The College policies concerning student behavior, academic honesty, and related matters are relevant to this course.