Good morning, chinigda!
Having myself been a practicing criminal defense attorney, I like where you're headed with this! The short answer is that federal and state governments have created so many ways to violate the law that it just isn't possible to learn them all. If you'd like to give it a shot anyway, you can look up the state code for each state. E.g., Virginia:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... TOC1802000
But, it is better for a new or aspiring lawyer to become expert at the framework of the law, meaning how it's supposed to operate, what occurs at each point within the client's contact with the government, etc.
If there is a certain aspect of the law that you want to focus on, or a certain geographical area in which you'd like to practice, that knowledge would give you a bit more direction in how to prepare yourself. For example, the world of "white collar crime," like various institutional-level financial frauds, is very different than the world of drug distribution or violent offenses.
If you know the geographical area in which you'd like to practice, here is what I recommend if you are looking for a very proactive approach to getting familiarized with the criminal justice system:
1. introduce yourself to the local prosecutor
2. arrange a ride-a-long with the local police
3. arrange an introduction to a local defense attorney, and shadow him/her for a day
3. attend as many public trials as you can - not just the big ones that make the papers, but also the every day, normal cases like low level assaults or driving offenses
4. read all the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendment case law you can
5. learn the rules of evidence and procedure that govern criminal trials in your area.
If you do all that, you would be far better prepared to be a criminal defense attorney than if you memorized all of the criminal codes. What makes criminal law interesting and challenging are the people and principles that guide the process.
Best of luck to you!
Ron
