LA4010:03
Advanced Criminal Law
Townsville
Prerequisites: Level 3 LA subjects
26 lectures, 13 tutorials. First semester.
Available to LLB students or level 3 BA or BSc students.
This subject is designed for students seeking a deep understanding of the limitations of the criminal law as a form of social control and is particularly suited for students intending to practise in the field of criminal law. It explores theoretical and practical aspects of the criminal law and the criminal justice system and builds on the foundations laid in first year Criminal Law. Specific issues will include some of the following: harm and culpability; the form and structure of legal reasoning in criminal law; the evolution and modernisation of the criminal law; the criminal law reform agenda; fundamental concepts in the criminal law; comparative criminal law systems; indigenous issues relating to criminal law; abuse of process; mental condition defences in the criminal law; crime and the media; the law of complicity; prosecutorial discretion; managing complex criminal trials; forensic medicine; miscarriage of justice; recent developments in the law of evidence. The subject will be taught on a seminar basis and there is a heavy emphasis on self-directed student learning.
Learning Objectives:
- provide students with a deep understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the criminal law;
- examine critically the operation of key aspects of the criminal justice system.
Assessment by seminar participation (30%); assignment (40%); open book examination (30%).
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