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Posts Tagged ‘Definition of Criminal Law’

If you’re considering a career as a prosecutor or defense attorney in the country’s dynamic court system, then it would be to your advantage to learn about criminal law schools. Criminal law schools offer more programs focused specifically on criminal law than regular law schools.

A certificate from a criminal law school can prepare you to enter the field of law enforcement or the court system. Using the Lewis and Clark Law School as an example, some of the courses required for a degree in criminal law include criminal procedures, criminal law, and evidence; all topics are designed to prepare you to practice criminal law.

Definition of Criminal Law

Criminal law, also referred to as penal law, is the study of the laws of numerous jurisdictions which, when violated, result in some form of punishment. Generally, it is some level of government that prosecutes individuals for failing to comply with laws.

Unlike civil law, which primarily deals with disputes between individuals, criminal law involves cases where an individual has transgressed a law severe enough to warrant incarceration or death.

For example, if an individual kills someone in the course of committing a rivalry robbery then that person would be charged with two criminal acts: the killing of another person and the robbery. Under criminal law the prosecution and punishment for these acts would be administered by the court system.

Finding a Criminal Law School

Criminal law schools are located throughout the United States often under the auspices of a larger university; for example, Harvard University operates the Criminal Justice Institute.

Other universities with criminal law schools include Columbia, New York University, Northwestern University (Lewis and Clark) and Stanford Law School; however, there are hundreds of universities offering criminal law throughout the U.S.

To find a criminal law school, contact the universities directly and ask them about degrees in criminal law or ask an attorney practicing criminal law for advice and recommendations on choosing a school (more often than not, an attorney will speak to you). Read the rest of this entry »