Uniform Civilian Justice Code

The Uniform Civilian justice Code (UCJC) is a series of laws that were established and implemented in the United States of America during the period of martial law following the Collapse.

Overview
Skyrocketing crime rates in the 1990's, proved that the existing legal structure was falling apart. Following the Purge of 1996, (when citizen's groups lynched hundreds of criminal defense lawyers), the Government declared martial law throughout the U.S. for a period of three years. During this time, justice was dispensed by local military courts. The amazing thing is, it worked.

A death penalty for looting brings a wonderful element of stability to a rioting neighborhood.

During this period, the Military Justice Code was the main rule of U.S. law. Its draconian standards of crime and punishment served so well that when martial law was suspended in 1999, the Government established a Uniform Civilian Justice Code in its place. Although the law is now administered by civilian governments, the Code is the guideline for all criminal procedure in the United States of 2020.

Plea bargaining (pleading guilty to a lesser charge to speed up a trial) has been eliminated. Probation is almost unheard of. The death penalty is standard for murder cases—there is a 3 month appeal process during which new evidence can be produced. Most felonies have mandatory prison terms of 5 to 10 years. Lesser crimes are covered by exile or personality adjustment.

Self-defense is defined as "any instance in which the assailant can show just cause that his/her life, or the life of another party was threatened, in circumstances where a duly appointed officer of the law could not be summoned, or where it was impossible to restrain the injured party by any other means.

Theoretically, narcotics may not be possessed within the premises of the United States. However bioengineered plant diseases developed through the 1990's by the Drug Enforcement Agency wiped out 96% of the coca and opium plants in existence, making the point moot. The law also does not cover "designer drugs" such as endorphins, which are defined as medicinal.

Here are the major crimes of the 2000's and their punishments as provided for under the UCJC:

 * Assault & Battery : Any unprovoked attack on another person, Punishable by personality adjustment or 1D6+1 months in jail.
 * Assault with Deadly Force : As with Assault. 1D6+1 years in jail, mandatory braindance.
 * Burglary : Entering private property with intent to steal. Punishment: Exile, prison (1D6+1 years) or braindance.
 * Conspiracy : the crime of conspiring to commit a felony, Subject to Exile, prison (1D6+1years) or braindance.
 * Counterfeiting & Forgery : the crime Of Creating false coinage, money, or documents with intent to defraud. Punishment; prison (1D10+5 years).
 * Extortion or Blackmail : the crime Of obtaining something from another through threat of injury. Punishment: Prison (1D10+5 years).
 * Homicide (1st Degree) : Premeditated murder, or murder while in the commission of a felony. Punishment is death.
 * Homicide (2nd Degree) : Accidental murder, murder without premeditation; Punishment: Prison for 1D10+10 years, braindance, personality alteration.
 * Homicide (justifiable) : Self defense, preventing the commission of a felony. No punishment.
 * Kidnapping or False Imprisonment : To hold another against his will. Punishment: prison for 1D10+10 years, braindance, personality alteration.
 * Larceny, Theft or Robbery : The theft of another's property, either through force threat, or embezzlement. Punishment varies by-severity of act from exile, to prison for 1D10+10 years, braindance, personality alteration.
 * Malicious Mischief, Vandalism : the wanton destruction of an another's property. Punishment: Exile, jail for 1D6 months.
 * Rape : Forcing another to have sex by use of threat or force, Punishment: Prison for .1D10+5 years, braindance, personality alteration.
 * Resisting Arrest/Obstructing an Officer : Attempting to escape legal arrest by a police officer, or preventing an officer from carrying out his legal duties. Punishment: Exile, braindance, jail for 1D6+1 weeks.
 * Riot or Unlawful Assembly : A gathering with the purpose of destroying property, inciting violence, etc, Punishment: exile, jail for 1D6+1 days.
 * Trespassing : Entering private property of another. Jail for 1D6 days.