Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
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) an awareness of the development of modern police forces and prosecution machinery; an understanding of key problems in the pre-trial stages of criminal justice, particularly in the areas of investigation and prosecution; (4) the ability to independently research and critically analyse problems in the enforcement of the criminal law; and (5) the capacity to empathise with those practitioners and parties involved in law enforcement and criminal justice processes.
Synopsis The idea of a criminal justice `system'; objectives and models of criminal justice; theories of crime; crime statistics and public perceptions of crime; a case study; the emergence of modern policing; police powers and the exercise of discretion; crime prevention and community policing; police misconduct and accountability; police-lawyer relations; prosecutions and the conviction process.
Assessment Research essay (5000 words): 50% + Class presentation or book review (2000 words): 20% + Class test: 30%