Criminal Law Basics

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“ Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime.” (Wikipedia, 2014) This law encompasses several different aspects of our government and the ways used to regulate them. Maintaining the peace and order of the public is one aspect. Law enforcement officers also try to keep good conduct of the public. Anyone who places the safety of the public in jeopardy, is in violation of this law. Punishment is used in a variety of ways to discipline any person who breaks these laws. There are four main sources used in today’s criminal law:

• Constitutional law – body of law that includes guidelines and rules used to ensure the correct meaning of the constitution. This law also governs the actions set by the United States Constitution. (Wikipedia, 2014)

• Administrative law – body of law that consists of creating and establishing administration agencies. Rules, responsibilities, regulations, and the powers used by these agencies are also developed under this law. Agencies such as the Social Security Administration and Welfare Commissions are two agencies included in this law. Usually, the creations of these agencies were made to provide their applicants with benefits. (School, Administrative Law)

• Statutory law – this body of law is crucial to the safety of the public. How our different bodies of government function and many of the laws within them are based on the above law. The outline used for today’s society and how justice is maintained comes from this law. (Demand Media, 2011) Mainly these laws are written and set by governing authorities in response to the needs of the public or civil order. (Statutory law - Definition, 2010)

• Case law/Common law – body of law developed over time by higher courts. Laws are c...

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...t is a Fleeting-Target Exception? (2014). Retrieved February 26, 2014, from Answers: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_fleeting-target_exception?#slide=2

What is Probable Cause? (2007). Retrieved February 26, 2014, from Probable Cause: probablecause.org

Wikipedia. (2014, February 18). Criminal Law. Retrieved February 26, 2014

Wikipedia. (2014, February 24). Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from wikipedia: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

Wikipedia. (2014, Februaury 18). Searches Incident to a Lawful Arrest. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searches_incident_to_a_lawful_arrest

Wikipedia. (2014, January 1). United States Constitutional Law. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_constitutional_law

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