A central component to any criminal case is the jurisdictional requirement for a court to hear a criminal case. In your examinations this week, focus on the power of jurisdiction and its significance as part of the criminal justice system. Who creates jurisdiction, and why is it so significant? Similarly, a sound understanding of the legal requirements of a crime is essential for all criminal justice professionals. You must be able to dissect a criminal statute to understand what actions and mindset are required to be proved to gain a conviction. Criminal statutes are precise, and your understanding of the elements of crime must be precise as well.

• Respond to this prompt if your last name begins with the letters M through Z: Detail the significance of elements of crimes. At a minimum, your response must detail all of the following:
  • Define the term elements of a crime in your own words.
  • What happens when an element (or elements) of a crime are found to be vague or ambiguous?
  • Why must criminal laws be in writing?