Felony Murder and Criminal Law - Essay Example

All persons are expected to observe the law to maintain peace among themselves. Breaking these laws for whatever reason attracts substantial punishments, the common being incarceration (Scheb, 2011).

In this respect, types, and forms of crime vary, and so are the laws that account for these crimes. Felony murder is one of the most critical crimes in the United States. Felonies vary in type and form, but the common denominator is that any death that occurs in the course of a crime is treated as felony murder. Crime perpetrators may or may not cause death in the line of crime, determining the extent of felony murder law application. Any person who commits a felony and causes death to another person in the course of that felony is guilty of felony murder according to felony murder law (Binder, 2012).

The crime perpetrator is highly likely to be charged and convicted of first-degree murder. While felony murder and how this murder is realized remains critical to serving justice, it is important to account for the proportion of people who are caught up in the acts of crime, and then held equally responsible for the murder(s) that occur. It is important to note that every single crime perpetrator found guilty of felony murder should be substantially punished for it. However, this should be controlled and limited to direct participants in criminal activities that result in felony murder.

There have been myriad reported cases of conviction of persons who do not even realize that they are in the middle of criminal activities when felony murders take place. In other words, as much as criminals should be held accountable for the deaths of innocent persons, there should be provisions for isolated cases following critical investigations into such matters. This can serve as an effective way to ensure that innocent persons are not incarcerated for felony murders that they can hardly explain.

The idea of felony murder law is to protect innocent persons from being hurt or losing their lives on the verge of crime (Binder, 2012). Of course, this is a welcome move for protecting citizens in the event of a crime. However, care should be taken in evaluating the conditions under which felony murders occur, to safeguard the interests of all persons. Otherwise, felony murder law can end up punishing the same citizens it is meant to protect. This should not imply that the law is scrapped. Rather, it is a call for caution in its application.