What are some of the new defenses being presented in court as a result of changing public awareness? How successful are these defenses? How legitimate do you think they are?

What will be an ideal response?


Society has become more aware of existing social problems and how those might contribute to crime, leading to new defenses that are based on preexisting conditions or syndromes. Some of these include "battered-woman syndrome," which is the result of someone being in an abusive relationship for many years, and "Gulf War Syndrome," which would be the PTSD developed while fighting in a war. These defenses state that these conditions could cause a person to act out in a way they might not otherwise. For example, someone who served in Iraq might overreact to provocation. These defenses have not achieved much success in the United States. Sometimes, the severity of a punishment might be lessened, but a woman who kills her abusive husband most likely will still go to prison. Student answers on the legitimacy of these defenses will vary.

Criminal Justice

You might also like to view...

The rapid combination of oxygen with a fuel that results in a noticeable release of energy is called what?

a. Flash point b. Explosion c. Ignition d. Combustion

Criminal Justice

When there exists a legal duty to intervene, such as a mother’s duty to her child, what types of situation can an individual disregard or be excused from this duty? Provide example(s) to illustrate these situations.

What will be an ideal response?

Criminal Justice

Which of the following statements most accurately explains the continued dissemination of the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion?

a. The publication is a renowned work of scholarship. b. The publication is a credible counterpoint to official publications on international affairs. c. Although the publication is a forgery, it is used to promote anti-Semitic and anti-Israel propaganda. d. Both “The publication is a renowned work of scholarship” and “The publication is a credible counterpoint to official publications on international affairs.”

Criminal Justice

Identify the elements that make a resume great. What are the advantages of a great resume?

What will be an ideal response?

Criminal Justice