Street Law: A Course in Practical Law

Chapter 10: Crimes Against Property

Cases and Resources

Arson
Vandalism
Larceny
Embezzlement
Robbery
Extortion
Burglary
Forgery
Receiving Stolen Property
Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
Computer Crime

Department of Justice
Analyze statistics gathered and presented by the U.S. Department of Justice on crimes against property. The trends show that some property crimes are declining.

Youth and Arson
This article explores the myths surrounding arson and provides information and facts about why young people commit arson. Review the statistics on page two of the article that classify the facts by age.

Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996
Read the text of the law (beginning with a short summary of the law) specifically meant for investigations and criminal prosecutions of arsons that happen at places of worship.

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Vandalism
National Youth Network: Youth in Action
This site is designed for young people to learn about vandalism and graffiti. What are some ways a young person can prevent vandalism?

Juvenile Vandalism
This report, issued in 1997, discusses the vandalism problem among young people. At what age are most juveniles arrested for vandalism? What programs are in place to prevent kids from committing these crimes?

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Larceny
Definition of Larceny
Explore the definition of larceny. You learned about the elements of crimes earlier in this unit. What are the elements of larceny?

Teens and Shoplifting
Learn why young people choose to shoplift. What influences a person's decision to steal? How can someone who is shoplifting get help?

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Embezzlement
Definition of Embezzlement
Read the definition of embezzlement. You learned about the elements of crimes earlier in this unit. What are the elements of embezzlement? How is embezzlement different from larceny?

The Collapse of Enron
When the Enron corporation collapsed and thousands lost their jobs and pensions, there was a renewed interest in embezzlement and other crimes that occur within corporations. Read this compilation of stories from Time Magazine that tell the story of the collapse of Enron and the possible crimes involved.

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Robbery
Robbery Statistics in the United States
Examine the trend of how often robbery occurs in the United States. Why do you think the rates of this crime have continued to drop over the past several years?

What to Do During a Robbery
Robbery can happen at home or at work. This article instructs you on how to best protect yourself during a robbery.

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Extortion
Definition of Extortion
Extortion, or blackmail, is often associated with organized crime (i.e., the "mafia"). However, extortion can be committed by any individual or group, nationally or internationally.

Bill Cosby and Extortion
A famous extortion case involved the actor and comedian Bill Cosby. Read the news story of how a young woman tried to extort money from Bill Cosby. How do the facts of this case meet the elements of extortion?

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Burglary
Burglary Rates in the United States
Analyze the statistics of the crime of burglary in the United States. Why do you think this crime occurs less frequently now than in past years?

Burglary Prevention
Many burglaries can be prevented. This article explains how to protect your home and property from this crime.

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Forgery
Forgery
Read about how art forgers sold forgeries of famous paintings to defraud their customers out of millions of dollars.

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Receiving Stolen Property
Definition of Receiving Stolen Property
Explore this online encyclopedia to learn more about the meaning of the crime of receiving stolen property.

New Jersey State Law
Read the New Jersey statute that makes receiving stolen property a crime. This site is prepared by a law firm that explains each element of the crime.

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Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
Tennessee Jury Instructions: Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
Learn about the elements of this crime by reading the instructions given to a jury on how to determine whether the crime has occurred. What are the elements of this crime? What is the jury supposed to consider?

Law for Kids: Joyriding
Read about joyriding and personal stories from kids who have been caught joyriding. Why is this a crime?

Carjacking
Take a closer look at the crime of carjacking. Why is this crime on the rise? Read about different ways you can protect yourself from this crime and what to do if it happens to you.

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Computer Crime
Cybercrime.gov
Read about crimes that occur on computers—cybercrime—on the federal government's cybercrime Web site. The extensive articles on this site explain that while cybercrime hurts businesses and people financially, many also worry about terrorism being committed via computers.

Identity Theft
Becoming a victim of a stolen identity is a growing concern among Internet users. Explore the federal government's page on identity theft, and learn how to protect yourself and what to do if identity theft happens to you.

U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Read this summary of the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act. How does this law affect you?

USA Patriot Act of 2001 and Computer Crime
This article by the U.S. government describes how crimes over the computer and criminal investigations have changed since the passage of the USA Patriot Act of 2001.

Children's Internet Protection Act
Read the text of the Children's Internet Protection Act . This law affects Internet usage in public libraries.

United States v. American Library Association
Read the decision from the Supreme Court 2003 term that upheld CIPA , noting that no First Amendment rights had been violated. Do you agree?

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
Consider the response of the U.S. government to computer crime. What does this act make illegal? Who does this act protect?

The National Information Infrastructure Act of 1996
Read a summary or the full text of this act. Who does this act protect? What does this act make illegal?

Anti-Piracy Information by the Business Software Alliance
Take a closer look at anti-piracy acts and why illegal downloading of software hurts businesses.

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