Crime and Justice in the United States

Read the Crime Story in Chapter 1 about the George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin case. 1.In what ways did the media influence the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin case? 2.Do you think the case was handled properly? Why or Why not? 3.Which model of criminal justice--the crime control model or the due process--best explains how this case was handled? Defend your answer. 4.Do you think the costs of this case were justified? Why or why not? Crime and Its Consequences
 Read the Crime Story in Chapter 2 about Adam Lanza. 5.What crimes and how many crimes did Lanza commit on December 14, 2012? Discuss counting and labeling difficulties. 6.Do you think Lanza acted with mens rea? Why or why not? 7.What are some of the problems with the proposed remedies for crimes similar to the Sandy Hook Elementary School calamity? 8.What influence did the media have on the Lanza case? (from Chap. 1) Explaining Crime Read the Crime Story in Chapter 3 about James Holmes. 9.How might Holmes's killing rampage and other related behavior be explained? 10.How can society prevent such crimes? 11.Was Holmes legally insane at the time he committed those criminal acts--that is, did he know the difference between right and wrong and that what he did was wrong? Was he able to control his behavior? 12.Should Holmes receive the death penalty? If yes, why? If no, why not?