Alabama Criminal Law and Offenses
Core Concepts
You must recognize the elements of common offenses you will encounter: theft (including shoplifting), burglary, robbery, assault and battery, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, harassment, and drug offenses. Know the difference between robbery (taking by force or threat) and theft (taking without force). Understand burglary as unlawful entry into a building with intent to commit a crime therein.
Mental State
Most offenses require intent, knowledge, or recklessness. A key trap is treating an accident or mistake as a crime. Your job is to observe and report facts, not to render legal verdicts.
Traps
- Misclassifying a theft as a robbery (or vice versa).
- Confusing trespass with burglary.
- Assuming a person's presence in a restricted area is automatically a crime.
- Applying force based on a misidentified offense.
Worked Example
A person enters a closed store through an unlocked rear door and is found in a stockroom with tools in their pocket. That is burglary (unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime), not mere trespass. Rule of thumb: identify the offense by its elements, not by the label someone shouts.