Affirmative defenses fall under the categories of justification and excuse. Answer these questions:

1) Discuss the legal and practical differences between a justification and an excuse.

2) What is needed for an insanity plea to be approved by the courts? Give an example of a case that was approved for the insanity plea and the requisites behind that decision.

3) After Bill was arrested for robbery, his mental condition went from functioning to nonfunctioning. He no longer can help his lawyer defend him because he is no longer competent. What defense, if any, does Bill have to the charge of robbery? Will he be successful?

4) How did conducting research and going through each step of legal analysis help you to reach this conclusion? Analyze how you applied critical thinking and legal analytical skills to assist you in this regard. What new research and/or analytical tool or method did you try for the first time this week? What do you think you do well and what would you like to strengthen so that you continue to improve?

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Think of some challenges you have faced in your current or previous employment. Summarize the problem, develop a research question, and state the null and alternative hypotheses that could be used to solve this problem. Explain whether the hypotheses are concerned with relationships between variables or differences between groups.

Sample Solution

Select a female sex offender from the video (e.g., Jennifer Rice, Courtney Reschke, Joyce McKinney, Debra Lafave, Pamela Rogers Turner, Haeli Noelle Wey, Sarah Jones, Mary Kay Letourneau-Fauulau, Kathryn Ronk, Rachel Repress and Shelley Dufresne, Melissa Petro).
In a 2- to 3-page paper:

Provide a brief summary of the actions of the female sex offender (make sure that you cite the resource(s) where you found the information and include it in your reference list).
Describe the type of sex offender she represents.
Explain how societal values, norms, and/or beliefs impact how the criminal justice system treats this type of female sex offender.
Explain whether and how she is doing harm.

Sample Solution

Explain whether the restrictions placed on individuals on sex offender registries are necessary. Why or why not?
Explain whether sex offender registries do or do not act as deterrents.
Justify whether the loss of the individual sex offender’s civil liberty actually protects society.
Explain if sex offenders are always dangerous to the community.
Describe if there are any true risks sex offenders pose to society.

Sample Solution