Introduction to Homicide

This lesson provides a basic overview of the law of homicide. It is an introductory lesson to get you started on distinguishing criminal from noncriminal homicide, identifying the elements of homicide, and analyzing the varying degrees of homicide. The lesson guides you through applying the basic concepts of actus reus, mens rea and causation to homicide offenses and provides an analytical framework for approaching homicide problems. Finally, it provides separate practice questions and an opportunity to try out the problem-solving approach on an exam-type question.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Discuss the distinction between criminal and noncriminal homicide.
2. Identify the elements of homicide.
3. Analyze the varying degrees of homicide.
4. Apply the basic concepts of actus reus, mens rea, and causation.