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Unit of Study LAW10004 - Australian Criminal Law II (2020)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

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Unit description

Provides the student with an understanding of the principles of substantive Australian criminal law, including a detailed knowledge of the application of these principles in respect of major crimes and defences, as well as the doctrines of complicity and inchoate criminal liability.

Unit content

Part 1 - Introduction

Topic 1 General principles of criminal responsibility (includes issues concerning strict liability and mistake) 

Part 2 - Offences

Topic 2 Unlawful killing (murder and manslaughter) 
Topic 3 (Non sexual) offences against the person 
Topic 4 Sexual offences 
Topic 5 Property offences 
Topic 6 Recent (serious) federal offences 

Part 3 - Defences 

Topic 7 Mental state defences (insanity, automatism and intoxication) 
Topic 8 Partial defences (provocation and diminished responsibility) 
Topic 9 Necessity-based defences (self-defence, duress and necessity)

Part 4 - Extending criminal responsibility 

Topic 10 Complicity
Topic 11 Inchoate offences (attempt, conspiracy and incitement)

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Gold Coast
Session2
Session2
Lismore
Session2
Session2
Online
Session2
Session2

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the major principles of criminal responsibility
2 Identify the legal and policy issues in relation to substantive criminal law and critically evaluate police, prosecutorial, judicial and legislative decision-making
3 Recognise and analyse the general principles of criminal law theory and describe how power structures in society are reproduced in the criminal law and criminal justice system
4 Identify the definitions of the major crimes and defences found in Australian criminal law (including selected major recent offences under Federal law) and analyse the key substantive criminal law issues raised
5 Describe and critically evaluate how criminal liability is expanded through the doctrines of complicity in crime and inchoate offences
6 Develop and demonstrate advanced problem solving skills in relation to hypothetical criminal law fact scenarios
7 Demonstrate analytical and written skills in the presentation of argument in the field of substantive criminal law

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the major principles of criminal responsibility
    • GA4:
  2. Identify the legal and policy issues in relation to substantive criminal law and critically evaluate police, prosecutorial, judicial and legislative decision-making
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. Recognise and analyse the general principles of criminal law theory and describe how power structures in society are reproduced in the criminal law and criminal justice system
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  4. Identify the definitions of the major crimes and defences found in Australian criminal law (including selected major recent offences under Federal law) and analyse the key substantive criminal law issues raised
    • GA4:
  5. Describe and critically evaluate how criminal liability is expanded through the doctrines of complicity in crime and inchoate offences
    • GA4:
  6. Develop and demonstrate advanced problem solving skills in relation to hypothetical criminal law fact scenarios
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  7. Demonstrate analytical and written skills in the presentation of argument in the field of substantive criminal law
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.