Cj230 Final Project

Name

CJ230-02

Unit 9 Final Project

5-3-11

There are three different categories in which an offender can commit a crime. The crime can be considered a crime against property, persons, or public order and will result in criminal prosecution. Crime against a person involves harm, injury, or death coming to the victim due to the actions of the criminal offender and rape, robbery, and murders are just a few of these crime. Crime against public order involves prostitution or sex act performed in public while crime against property involve arson, vandalism, and criminal trespass.

In crimes against persons rape is considered to be one of the most heinous. It is when a victim is forced to engage in sexual acts and can happen to children, men, and women. The act of rape is about the power the offender can insert over the victim and use force or the threat of force to make the victims comply. Rape can be the result of an act by a stranger or someone familiar, but results in the same psychological damage and emotional damage to the victim. This of course does not include the physical harm they victim suffers.

The actus reus and mens rea of rape means the offender must have a guilty mind and commit the guilty act in order to be charged with the crime of rape. In this case the offender would have to intend and through their actions show this intent as well as commit the actual act of rape. The crime of rape will result in criminal punishment. Under federal statutes and many state statues if the crime of rape results in the death of the victim the offender could face capital charges. Federal sentencing guidelines require that offenders found guilty of rape serve eight to sixteen years for the crime. States statues vary about the sentence the offender will receive but in many cases the sentence has a five year minimum.

Where the crime of prostitution has occurred the offender has traded financial compensation for sexual services. This act is...