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Criminal Law 2 - LAWS1011
Library

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 4
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: LAWS1001; JURD7101
 
 
Excluded: JURD7111
 
 
Fee Band: 3 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

Criminal Law 2 continues the examination of substantive criminal offences undertaken in Criminal Law 1, while exploring their operation and connection to the broader social context that they operate in and claim to operate on. There are a number of undergraduate and postgraduate elective offerings in the criminal justice stream broadly defined, which all draw or build on the Criminal Law courses. In fact there are few areas of law that do not incorporate criminal offences as one arm of regulation of conduct in that area. It is therefore important to understand both how the criminal law has developed and currently operates in its areas of main impact in order to appreciate the potential that criminal offences have to change the nature of regulation of conduct in other areas.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

  • To examine the so-called general principles of criminal liability and to consider whether criminal law is not better conceived as a diverse field of regulation
  • To examine the major substantive offence categories. These include homicide, assault offences, sexual assaults, property offences and conspiracy. We shall also examine the law of attempts and complicity
  • To examine the ever-increasing group of offences known as "regulatory offences" which have become of overwhelming practical significance. The very existence of these offences raises crucial issues of policy which are also examined. "Regulatory offences" are also used as the model for sharpening skills of statutory interpretation
  • To examine the criminal law as a means of solving social problems

Main Topics

  • Homicide
  • Defences
  • Assault
  • Dishonest acquisition
  • Extending criminal liability

Assessment

Research paper 30%
End of semester exam 60%
Class participation 10%

Course Texts

Prescribed

  • Brown, Farrier, Egger, McNamara and Steel, Criminal Laws: Materials and commentary on Criminal Law and Process of New South Wales, 4th edn (2006) The Federation Press
  • Howie and Johnson, Criminal Legislation in New South Wales 2009-2010 edition, Lexis Nexis, Butterworths

An alternative approach is to download and print copies of the relevant legislation from the Parliamentary Counsel's website: http://www.pco.nsw.gov.au

Recommended
Refer to Blackboard website.

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.