LAW4305 - Federal criminal justice - 2018

Topics which form the core material include: the history of federal involvement in the criminal law; federal policing agencies; the sources and nature of federal criminal procedure; the relationship of federal criminal law to state criminal law and to state courts; and the sentencing structures for federal offenders. Additional emerging topics of federal interest may be added from year to year.

On completion of this unit students should:

1. be familiar with the sources and significance of federal criminal law in the Australian criminal justice system
2. have an overview of the contents and an understanding of the special features of federal criminal law and procedure and federal sentencing law and how these elements relate to state criminal law systems
3. have a critical understanding of the possible future shape of federal involvement in the criminal law sphere.

Written assignment (3000 words): 60% and 2 hours examination (plus 10 minutes reading time): 30% and class participation: 10%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information