Criminal Justice [1st period, Tuesday]

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

When students first entered the Criminal Justice classroom, it appeared to be empty, and the lights were slightly dimmed.

However, those who were especially observant, or have special sensory powers that allow them to notice such things, might have noted a figure off to the side, tucked into a shadow in the corner.


"A pleasant morning to you all," V greeted silkily once everyone had arrived, as he emerged from the shadow, lightly flicking his cape over one shoulder and clasping his gloved hands behind his back. "You are all here because you have a desire to learn more of this 'criminal justice,' I presume. Perhaps you have a personal investment - a vital verdict of vengeance or a vigorous, violent, vivid urgency to change your world or vindictate your own victorious verisimilitude."

He quirked his head at the class. "In short, a cause. Crime is relative; what may be one's grandest cause, their sacred ideal, is another's travesty - or worse, meaningless. Your mission is to make others care for your ideas, to feel what you feel."

He started passing out papers. "These are your syllabi. Over the next term, I expect students to gain a grasp of the workings of the law, a solid interpretation of justice, but most of all I want you to come away from this class with a purpose and a direction."

"We shall start with investigating the following question: what, to you, is a crime? What is something that would drive you to seek a way to right things? Or has driven, if you choose to give a personal example, though theoretical examples are fine. I'd also like to hear all your names, if you don't mind."

"I'll begin," he said, pulling off his hat and giving a slight bow. "Please, call me V - no 'Professor V,' or 'Mr. V,' as I do not care for titles nor do I find them necessary. Simply V. I view anything that wrongs an innocent as criminal, and those who inflict such damage should be brought to justice. At the moment I'm seeking a new cause, though for several years I pursued the goal of destroying a corrupt government due to their massacre of unsuspecting, unguilty individuals. I reminded them that governments serve people, rather than intimidate them or worse."

He quirked his head expectantly at the class.

[First of all, wait for OCD is up. Secondly, I'll be around until abooooooout 3 AM EDT, then asleep, and then I'll be on fairly steadily through Tuesday afternoon with some slight iffiness around 1 and 3:30 PM due to commuting except not really because class was canceled yay.]

Comments

Introduce yourselves...

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

...and talk about what you think is a crime, and give an example if you'd like.

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[forgottenpants]

"Pete Hutter. And crime is what the 'government' tells us is wrong. But I don't care who or what you are, I will take you out if you touch my piece. Unless you're a woman. I don't hit women. Or the guy who took my piece when I got here. Because he was scary and made of some material that wasn't human. Or Brisco. He got me shot."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

"By 'piece,' do you mean weapon?" V asked, quirking his head.

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[tyler-gone.livejournal.com]

"Tyler Durden," Tyler said, deciding he liked this guy. "I think a crime is anything that makes us feel less human -- exploitation, and the way corporations work overtime to deaden our souls."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

V tilted his head, assessing Tyler, and replied, "An excellent point. What would be your approach to counteract such a problem?"

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Teddy Altman," Teddy began, trying very hard not to stare at V's mask. "I think crime is when someone stops caring about other people and is willing to hurt them for selfish reasons."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

"Very good," V agreed, nodding. "But isn't selfishness a subjective concept?"

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

"Alanna Trebond. But um, I might be Alan on your roster. I think a crime is ... well, it's something that goes against your - your socities morale code."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

"Society's?" V asked, sounding amused. "And what makes society's moral code so important or even right?"

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Dean Winchester. A crime to me is anything that hurts -- really hurts -- innocents."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[victimorvillain.livejournal.com]

"Define, 'really hurts,'" V requested curiously.

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[socksofcool.livejournal.com]

"Seely Booth," he said, then recited mechanically. "A crime is when you break the law, and yes it does count if no one catches you, and you'll come to a bad end if you don't listen to me, Seely."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[multiplez]

"Z Delgado. Um. Elizabeth, on your roster. A crime is anything that the law says is wrong."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Bridge Carson," Bridge says. "And a crime is anything that hurts people. I'm currently training to keep my planet free from an evil dictatorship, so I guess you could say that's what's driving me to right things."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Charlie Kawalsky. What I think is a crime is different to what a government might decide is a crime. A crime according to government is something that goes against the rules they've set up to protect or restrict their citizens, whether it's murder or jaywalking. As long as it's in their book, if you go against it, then you're committing a crime. As for me? I dunno. I can't say, but I know it when I see it."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

"Alec. The only thing I care about is someone hurting the people I like," he said, and managed to ignore the twinge that came when he thought too hard about that.

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Jack. Jack Harkness. I've never really thought about it before, but I guess I think a crime is anything that another person doesn't consent to."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"John Crichton. Crime's something that does damage to someone or something. It could be physical, mental, emotional, or verbal damage."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[demonbelthazor]

"Belthazor," Bel said. "And a crime is mindlessly following orders without question and killing innocents." He shifted a little uncomfortably.

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[can_be_more]

"Aeryn Sun. A crime is very simply anything that goes against the laws set down to keep society in order," Aeryn says. "It doesn't necessarily have to be anything that hurts someone, because something as simple as jaywalking or littering can be a crime. It has just as much to do with the intent or the possibility of doing harm than it does actually harming anyone."

Aeryn thinks that's pretty much the answer she gave in the last Criminal Justice class she took. It feels a little strange to say it now.

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[proudsidekick.livejournal.com]

"I'm Layla Williams," she said, "and I think a 'crime' is any act that breaks a law, or causes people to get hurt as the means to a malicious end."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"River Tam." She wondered how complicated an explanation she should give. She opted for simple, something perhaps even Jayne would be able to grasp. This was the first lesson after all.

"A crime is anything that breaks the rules set up by a particular moral system. So the first problem isn't necessarily defining if a perticular action is a crime or not. The solution to that will be found more easily once we've established which moral system we're adhering to, and preferably our reasons for doing so."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"I'm Peter Pevensie. I think a crime is an action or inaction that causes harm to a person or group of people." He paused. "Ideally, the laws of the nation would protect not just the innocent, but everyone equally."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke wasn't at all twitchy because a guy dressed in a black cape and wearing a mask emerged from the shadows to speak.

So ignore that part where he looked about ready to crawl under his desk.

"A crime is something that inflicts damage onto someone else. Diverting water that's not yours, assaulting someone and trying to steal their speeder, enslaving millions, blowing up planets, it's all criminal." Luke's voice got stronger as he continued speaking. "And it can still be criminal, even if it's done by the ruling government."

Re: Introduce yourselves...

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

"I'm Peter Parker and officially speaking, crime is when somebody does something to harm or disrupt others, often with malice. That harm can be physical, emotional, monetary, or other forms that I can't think of off the top of my head. And, yes, it can be done by the people in charge and sometimes it's not even wrong, even if it is illegal."