Assignment 3: Assault, Battery, and Crimes against Persons

Review the following scenario in order to complete this assignment:

(A) is walking to towards her car in the shopping mall parking lot when a man suddenly jumps in front of her, points a knife in her face, and demands her purse. The attacker strikes (A) and rips the handle of her purse. Fortunately, (A) took self-defense class and hits the attacker with her knee and fists, keeps her purse, and runs to safety.

Use the Internet or Strayer databases to research assault, battery, and crimes against persons.

Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:

1. Compare and contrast the key similarities and differences between the crime of assault with a deadly weapon and the crime of felonious and aggravated battery. Provide one (1) example of each crime to support your response.


2. Determine whether or not the jurisdiction in which the crime has occurred should consider the man’s actions as assault. Next, determine whether or not the jurisdiction should punish the man’s actions as battery. Justify your response.


3. Suggest one (1) different fact pattern that would change the scenario from felonious and aggravated assault and / or battery to simple assault. Support the validity of your response.

Consider the following change to the scenario. (A) is forced at knifepoint into her car and made to drive the suspect away from the mall, where they encounter a police roadblock. (A) is not allowed to leave the car, despite the police negotiator’s demand that she be allowed to exit the car.

1. Discuss the crime of kidnapping. Next, debate whether or not the suggested change in Question 3 would allow the court to convict the attacker for the crime of kidnapping. Provide a rationale to support your response.


2. Differentiate between the crimes of hostage taking and kidnapping. Support or critique the notion that one of the two crimes is more serious than the other. Justify your response.

Consider the following change to the scenario. (A) and the attacker are romantically linked and are having an argument in the shopping mall parking lot. (A) pulls a knife from her purse and swings it at the attacker.

1. Debate whether or not (A)’s action would require the attacker to defend himself. Provide a rationale to support your response.


2. Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar types of websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: 

• This course requires use of new Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details. 


• Be typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow SWS or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. 


• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: 

• Explain the role of individuals and federal, state, and local government agencies in crime fighting and the prosecution of criminal offenses. 


• Analyze the essential legal elements of criminal conduct. 


• Explain the concept of criminal liability. 


• Apply the concept of criminal responsibility and give examples of justifications, excuses, and incapacity for criminal acts. 


• Contrast crimes against persons, crimes against property, and other types of criminal conduct. 


• Use technology and information resources to research issues in criminal law. 


• Write clearly and concisely about criminal law using proper writing mechanics.