> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://studies-de-jure.gitbook.io/learn/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://studies-de-jure.gitbook.io/learn/sourcebooks/criminal-law/4.1-prelude-to-the-elements-of-a-crime.md).

# 4.1: Prelude to The Elements of a Crime

1. Last updated
2. [Save as PDF](https://biz.libretexts.org/@api/deki/pages/135337/pdf/4.1%3A%2bPrelude%2bto%2bThe%2bElements%2bof%2ba%2bCrime.pdf)

* Page ID135337

This page is a draft and is under active development.

\\( \newcommand{\vecs}\[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vecd}\[1]{\overset{-\\!-\\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \\)

\\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\\) \\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\\,}\\) \\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\\,}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\\) \\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\\) \\( \newcommand{\norm}\[1]{\\| #1 \\|}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\inner}\[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\\,}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\\,}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\norm}\[1]{\\| #1 \\|}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\inner}\[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\\) \\( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode\[.8,0]{x212B}}\\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectorA}\[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}\[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectorB}\[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectorC}\[1]{\textbf{#1}} \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectorD}\[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}\[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vectE}\[1]{\overset{-\\!-\\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vecs}\[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \\)

\\( \newcommand{\vecd}\[1]{\overset{-\\!-\\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \\)

\\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\\) \\(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\\) \\(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\\) \\(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\\) \\(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\\) \\(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\\) \\(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\\) \\(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\\) \\(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\\) \\(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\\) \\(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\\) \\(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\\) \\(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\\) \\(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\\) \\(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\\) \\(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\\) \\(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\\) \\(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\\) \\(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\\) \\(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\\) \\(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\\) \\(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\\) \\(\newcommand{\twovec}\[2]{\left\[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\ctwovec}\[2]{\left\[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\threevec}\[3]{\left\[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\\ #2 \\\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\cthreevec}\[3]{\left\[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\\ #2 \\\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\fourvec}\[4]{\left\[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\\ #2 \\\ #3 \\\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\cfourvec}\[4]{\left\[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\\ #2 \\\ #3 \\\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\fivevec}\[5]{\left\[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\\ #2 \\\ #3 \\\ #4 \\\ #5 \\\ \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\cfivevec}\[5]{\left\[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\\ #2 \\\ #3 \\\ #4 \\\ #5 \\\ \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\mattwo}\[4]{\left\[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\\ #3 \amp #4 \\\ \end{array}\right]}\\) \\(\newcommand{\laspan}\[1]{\text{Span}\\{#1\\}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\\) \\(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\\) \\(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\\) \\(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\\) \\(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\\) \\(\newcommand{\coords}\[2]{\left\\{#1\right\\}\_{#2}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\gray}\[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\lgray}\[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\\) \\(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\len}\[1]{\left|#1\right|}\\) \\(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\\) \\(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\\) \\(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\\) \\(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\\) \\(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\\) \\(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\\)

*Thus, an Olympic swimmer may be deemed by the community as a shameful coward, or worse, for not rescuing a drowning child in the neighbor’s pool, but she is not a criminal.*

*-* [*State ex rel. Kuntz v. Thirteenth Jud. Dist.*](http://caselaw.findlaw.com/mt-supreme-court/1434948.html)*, cited in Section 4*

![Sign reading Office of the District Attorney in bold capital letters, illuminated and framed by wooden panels.](https://biz.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/8792/17a2d3c7f553ac0b0672511b9487e03e.jpg?revision=1\&size=bestfit\&width=798\&height=484)

*Source: Image courtesy of Tara Storm.*


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://studies-de-jure.gitbook.io/learn/sourcebooks/criminal-law/4.1-prelude-to-the-elements-of-a-crime.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
