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Instructional Resources to Support Criminal Law

H. DOUGLAS BARCLAY LAW LIBRARY        
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES GUIDE

Wendy Scott, Assistant Director for Faculty & Outreach Services  
2008

Selection of Resources to Support First Year Criminal Law Courses 

This guide directs faculty to instructional aids and materials available in the law library or on the web.  It encompassses such resources as key web sites, texts, databases, guides, tutorials, and media that faculty can integrate into their classes and/or assign to students.


Sources on the Internet


Criminal Law Overview - Cornell WEX
Brief description plus a menu of sources that link to key primary and secondary source material. WEX is Cornell's law wiki.

Lexis Outline on Criminal Law and

Lexis Outline on Criminal Procedure
Lexis's study aids on criminal law.  Available in PDF, HTML or Word.

Criminal Law on Findlaw          

Model Penal Code (part of Penal Law web site)
Part of a web page on Penal Law by Markus Dirk Dubber, Professor of Law & Director, Buffalo Criminal Law Center, State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Law.  The site also includes an overview of criminal law, links to statutes and cases, and links to related resources.            


Key Texts and Treatises in the Library & Online

Nutshells and Study Aids

Criminal Law, 4th ed. (Examples and Explanations Series)
Reserves KF 9219.3 .S54 2007

Criminal Law in a Nutshell (Loewy)
Reserves KF 9219.3 .L63 2003

Hornbook

Criminal Law, 4th ed. (LaFave)
Reserves KF 9219.3 (2 copies)
Stacks - 1 copy

Treatises

Criminal Procedure, 4th edition (LaFave, Israel & King)
Reserves KF 9619 .L34 2004 (with current supplements)
Stacks - 1 copy
Available on Westlaw with valid password

Substantive Criminal Law, 2d edition (LaFave & Scott), 3 vols.
KF 9219 .L386 2003
Available on Westlaw with valid password

Wharton's Criminal Law, 15th ed. (Torcia)
KF 9219 .W43 1994
v. 2 - 3 in print
Available on Westlaw with valid password


Looseleafs and Current Awareness Services
BNA Criminal Law Reporter, 1967-
Reserves KF 9615 .C7 


Databases

BNA Criminal Law Reporter, 2001-  
Access is restricted to Syracuse University College of Law users.
Click on “Criminal Law Reporter” under the category of “Criminal Law.” 

Lexis- Search by Topic
This is a guided search feature on Lexis.  Access with valid Lexis ID.
To access: log in, then click on the "By Topic or Headnote" tab, then click on "Criminal Law & Procedure."  You may then locate cases and secondary source material on specific subtopics such as "Search and Seizure."

Westlaw Keysearch Topic:  Criminal Justice
This is a guided search feature on Westlaw.  Access with a valid Westlaw ID.  Click on the "Criminal Justice" folder.  For each subtopic you can locate cases, treatises, encyclopedias and journal articles.


Research Guides

Using Westlaw to Research Criminal Law
Prepared by West, this tutorial offers general Westlaw search tips as well as research guidance in the subject area of criminal law.

H. Douglas Barclay Law Library Research 
Research guides were developed by our librarians. They are annotated outlines with references to our print and online sources. Subjects include basic research skills (case research, West Digests, ALR, statutes) and topic-specific research. 

Students should bring these with them to the library when pursuing research assignments and papers. The guides are also available in print at the Reference Desk.


Tutorials & Multimedia Instructional Support


About CALI (Center for Computer Assisted Research Instruction)
CALIis a “non-profit consortium of law schools that researches and develops computer-mediated legal instruction and supports institutions and individuals using technology and distance learning in legal education. CALI was incorporated in 1982 and welcomes membership from law schools, paralegal programs, law firms and individuals wishing to learn more about the law.” CALI Homepage, at http://www.cali.org.

Please note: To open or download CALI lessons, you must be registered. Faculty & student passwords may be obtained by contacting Electronic Services Librarian, Robert Weiner, a rjweiner@law.syr.edu, or the Reference Department at reference @law.syr.edu.  There are numerous CALI lessons on Criminal Law, some of which were designed for first-year law students. See the complete list by clicking here.