Criminal Law [AJP]

Module overview

This version of Criminal Law is delivered for you if you are studying the LLB JD Pathway, the LLB Accelerated programme or the LLB Law with Psychology programme. This module provides an introduction to the substantive criminal law, and to fundamental aspects of criminal law in its broader criminal justice and societal context. It will examine the use of criminal law, and its associated processes, as a mode of governing individual and social conduct. It will provide: a critical introduction to principles and practices of criminalization; a critical introduction to the doctrinal building blocks of criminal liability and responsibility, and the opportunity to apply these building block principles, as well as the contextual material, to selected case studies.

It also focuses on providing a foundation in the key LLB Programme and QA Law Benchmark skills learning outcomes of: developing an ability to produce a synthesis of relevant doctrinal and policy issues, presentation of a reasoned choice between alternative solutions and critical judgement of the merits of particular arguments.; and developing the ability to apply knowledge and understanding to offer evidenced conclusions, addressing complex actual or hypothetical problems.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

to state, with reference to the relevant statutes if necessary, the requirements of: any defence, whether generally or specifically to one of the selected offences, to criminal liability and the law concerning criminal causation (of harm or loss) and the proof, and onus thereof, of guilt
the legal and philosophical principles that can be used to justify decisions to criminalise or decriminalise conduct
to state, with reference to the relevant statutes if necessary, the requirements of criminal liability for selected key criminal offences
explain the reasons for, the problems arising in, and the legal solutions for (actual and mooted) the key cases identified in the module
the arguments for and against the use criminal law to regulate individual and social conduct
the key doctrinal building blocks of criminal liability and responsibility

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

synthesise relevant doctrinal, social and policy issues, with reference to relevant data, in order to present a reasoned choice between alternative solutions, and assess the merits of particular arguments, regarding a mooted criminalisation or decriminalisation
critically evaluate the given justifications for the criminalisation or decriminalisation of certain forms of conduct
identify the requirements, for criminal liability, of a crime or defence in a statute (statutory analysis) or at common law.
identify and explain why particular facts, in an actual or hypothetical situation, might give rise to criminal liability, a defence to criminal liability, or a problem with criminal liability or a defence thereto (problem analysis)
identify and apply the key doctrinal building blocks of criminal liability in case studies of selected offences
identify the salient parts, for the purposes of determining criminal liability, of judicial decisions (case law analysis)

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

manage your time effectively
distinguish relevant from irrelevant materials
think critically and develop persuasive, well supported and coherent arguments
locate and analyse relevant legal and other primary and secondary source materials
identify and analyse key issues in a previously unseen set of facts

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

The objective for the lectures, and your independent work which will precede and follow them, is to provide an overview of the key primary and secondary sources on the topic and to identify key issues prior to you undertaking higher order applied work in the small group tutorial sessions. Skills such as legal problem analysis and critical analysis of law and policy are developed incrementally. The emphasis throughout is on developing these skills through practice and reflection. Formative exercises are designed to facilitate that learning.

Study time
Type	Hours
Follow-up work	18
Lecture	42
Revision	70
Tutorial	20
Preparation for scheduled sessions	150
Total study time	300

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Key Textbooks. A criminal law textbook priced for the student market (around 25GBP - 35GBP) will be selected. It is also recommended that you purchase an unannotated criminal law statute book (around 12.00GBP). The principal library resources exist through the library's existing holdings (including electronic). The module will also be supported by provisions in the Blackboard VLE.

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Peer Group Feedback

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback: - Individual written feedback: individual written feedback will be provided to all students who complete the formative coursework. - Individual oral feedback: subject tutors will be available to discuss questions arising following the written feedback with you if you request this. - Discussion of tutorial questions will enable you to self-assess your understanding and progress.
Final Assessment: No
Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	100%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External