Assignment 3: Criminal Laws and the Court System

Criminal law is a system that has evolved due to societal needs. This cycle of development begins when laws are enacted at the legislative stage. The laws are then enforced by law enforcement and are later applied by the judiciary. Many a times, laws are determined at the legislative stage but are developed in the courtroom. Both the processes are equally important in the criminal justice system. You may have your own thoughts on which one is more important.

Through this writing assignment, you will explore the evolution of criminal laws and their effects on the court system.

Tasks:

Select one of the two options listed for this assignment. Each option focuses on different aspects. The first one is related to the legislative process while the second gives you a chance to focus only on the current laws in your state.

Option 1: The Evolution of the Criminal Court System: The Legislative Process

This writing assignment involves exploring the legislative evolution of DUI laws in a specific state of your choice.

Perform the following tasks:

Step 1: Conduct a research on the process of legislation in your state or any other state of your choice and on the impact of this process on the DUI or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) laws in the courtroom.

Your research should provide an explanation on the legislative process, the past and current DUI laws, and the source for any changes in your state of choice.

Step 2: Write a two-page paper.

In a Microsoft Word document, provide the following information:

• A description of the process of how legislation is created in the state you have chosen and how the legislation affects the court system
• An explanation of the history of DUI laws in the state you have chosen, including the dates of the first DUI law and the first penalty
• A description of the current DUI law, any change that was made to the law, the court of the state that prosecutes DUI cases, and the penalties for DUI laws
• The reasons for the evolution of the DUI laws and for the changes made to them

Step 3: Save and submit your assignment.

Submission Details:

1. Save your assignment as M1_A3_Lastname_Firstname.doc.
2. By Wednesday, September 10, 2014, submit your assignment to the M1: Assignment 3 Dropbox.

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

Option 2: The Evolution of the Criminal Court System: The Laws in Your State

This writing assignment involves exploring the evolution of criminal laws and their effects on the court system.

Perform the following tasks:

Step 1: Research the court system in your state, or the state of your choice, and the history of a crime, tracking its changes in substance and penalties.

Conduct research to provide an explanation of the court structure in your state of choice, the history of a particular crime, its current substance and penalties, and the source for any changes.

Step 2: Write a two-page paper.

In a Microsoft Word document, provide the following information:

• A description of the structure of the court system in the state you have chosen
• An explanation of the history of the crime you selected in that state, including the date when a law was first enacted against that crime and the first penalty for the crime
• A description of the law related to that crime and whether the law has changed since its inception
• A description of the court of the state, county, state, or superior where that particular crime is prosecuted and the current penalties for that crime
• The reason for the evolution of law against that crime, including the driving force behind any changes made to that law, and your opinion on the evolution of the law

Step 3: Save and submit your assignment.

Submission Details:

1. Save your assignment as M1_A3_Lastname_Firstname.doc.
2. By Wednesday, September 10, 2014, submit your assignment to the M1: Assignment 3 Dropbox.

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.