Explain the "voluntary" act requirement. How does this impact crimes that are committed when a person is in a state of automatism?

What will be an ideal response?


The "voluntary" act states that only voluntary acts qualify as actus reus. Only voluntary acts qualify as criminal acts because of four logical steps: (1) criminal law punishes people; (2) we can only punish people we can blame; (3) we can only blame people who are responsible for their acts; and (4) people are responsible only for their voluntary acts. Because people in a state of automatism are engaged in acts while they are unconscious, they are not committing voluntary acts so they cannot be held criminally liable for those acts.

Criminal Justice

You might also like to view...

Which type of sentencing takes discretion away from judges?

a. Indeterminate b. Determinate c. Mandatory d. Sentencing guidelines

Criminal Justice

What is a Hypothesis?

What will be an ideal response?

Criminal Justice

According to Lipsky, every entry-level public sector worker starts out as ______.

a. a naïve innocent b. a power-hungry person c. an accident waiting to happen d. a street-level bureaucrat

Criminal Justice

What is the purpose of CPS?

What will be an ideal response?

Criminal Justice