LAW4101

Administration of criminal justice 406 ( 6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader:

Offered:
Not offered in 2005.

Synopsis: The unit focuses on the institutions and processes that surround the implementation and enforcement of criminal law. Students will examine the idea of a criminal justice 'system'; objectives and models of criminal justice; and crime statistics and public perceptions of crime. Other topics will be drawn from the following areas: police powers and exercise of discretion; the exercise of prosecutorial discretion; theories of punishment; juvenile justice; imprisonment and prisoners' rights; sentencing; and the role of victims in the criminal justice system.

Objectives: On completion of this subject students will have acquired or developed (1) an understanding of the objectives and theories of criminal justice; (2) a knowledge of current legal, political and social perspectives on criminal justice issues; (3) the ability to independently research and critically analyse problems in the enforcement of the criminal law; (4) the ability to think critically about the principles and institutions which relate to punishment; and (5) the capacity to empathise with those practitioners and parties involved in law enforcement and criminal justice processes.

Assessment: Research essay (3000 words): 40% + Examination (2 hours writing time plus 30 minutes reading and noting time): 60% OR Examination (3 hours writing time plus 30 minutes reading and noting time): 100%

Contact Hours: Two 1.5-hour lecture-seminars per week

Prerequisites: LAW1100 Legal process OR LAW1101 Introduction to legal reasoning and LAW1102 Law in society

Corequisites: LAW3300 Criminal law and procedure OR LAW3301 Criminal law and procedure A and LAW3302 Criminal law B