Site MapHelpFeedbackDisucussion
Disucussion
(See related pages)

1
In recent years, there have been a number of celebrated cases in which acts of violence committed by athletes during sports events have resulted in serious injury to another athlete. In one case, a professional hockey player intentionally struck an opponent in the face from behind with his hockey stick. The injured player suffered a concussion and was hospitalized for several days. In another instance, a college baseball pitcher intentionally threw at and hit an opposing player who was standing in the on-deck circle waiting his turn at bat. The pitcher apparently believed that the other player was "timing" his pitches to gain an advantage. The injured player lost partial vision and will not be able to play competitive baseball again. The pitcher was unsuccessfully prosecuted and later signed a contract to play professional baseball.

Do you believe that intentional injuries inflicted by athletes during ballgames should be considered criminal acts? Should players who commit these acts be prosecuted under criminal laws? If someone attacked you with a stick or other object in your front yard or at the mall parking lot, would that be a crime? What is the difference in the two situations? Why should assaultive behavior in one setting be a crime, but not in another setting? Write an essay in which you express your opinion on this issue, explaining why you feel this way.

2
The term "victimless crime" refers to certain behaviors that are legally defined as crimes, but seem to have no specific victim. In that sense, they are unlike crimes such as murder, robbery, and theft. Examples of "victimless crimes" are gambling, prostitution, drug use, and behaviors related to pornography (selling, possessing, etc.). Should such conduct be defined as crimes? Should persons who participate in these behaviors be arrested, prosecuted, and punished under the criminal law? Can a crime actually be a crime if no one is hurt by it? Can society as a whole be the victim of a crime? Explain your thoughts on the question of "victimless crimes" in a short essay.







Inciardi 8e OLCOnline Learning Center

Home > Chapter 2 > Disucussion