This seminar will start with readings from moral psychology and moral philosophy in the first few weeks to provide a conceptual framework for considering issues relating to moral responsibility for criminal acts. It will then examine different criminal law excuses such as provocation, diminished capacity, immaturity, duress, brainwashing, rotten social background, battered women syndrome, and insanity. There will be a three-page graded memo due each week instead if a research paper.