Criminal Law
| Module title | Criminal Law |
|---|---|
| Module code | LAW1003C |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Caroline Keenan (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 120 |
|---|
Module description
This module is designed to be an enjoyable practical introduction to law, enabling you to understand key legal concepts and their application to real life situations. The syllabus is structured around the questions of what ‘crime’ is and when criminal law can and should be used. These tap into much bigger questions about what is just and fair and what role we think criminal law and the criminal justice system does, can and should play in society.
It gives space and opportunity to practice and use criminal law; to specialize within the subject; and to understand the laws of England within a comparative legal context. By the end of the module you should be able to approach questions of criminality from your understanding of the principles of criminal law and your experience of applying those principles to an area of specialism within Criminal law, in this case Corporate Criminal Liability. During this module you will learn how to learn how to apply the criminal law to real-life case scenarios and create your own small research project on corporate criminal responsibility.
This module is one of the seven foundations of legal knowledge required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board, and it is therefore compulsory for all who wish to progress onto the Vocational Stage of Training to become a Solicitor or Barrister.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module aims to make you fully conversant with the main criminal law offences; aware of the operation of the criminal law within its social moral and organisational context and able to plan, research and produce written analysis of the criminal law in action. In both terms you will also develop core skills in using current law to answer real-life problems. These skills are practiced in class and assessed in your virtual scrapbook. In term 1 you will also work to develop the core skills, which support legal research, enabling you to complete your own research project on corporate crime in term 2.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. explain and apply specific criminal offences.
- 2. demonstrate knowledge of the law and its operation, in relation to corporate criminal liability.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. apply relevant law in relation to case studies.
- 4. research a legal question and produce a research report on it.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. communicate in writing, in a manner appropriate to the context.
- 6. create notes on primary and secondary legal sources for effective use in a particular learning or assessment activity.
Syllabus plan
Please note:
(i) This module syllabus (LAW1003C) is exclusively available to students on the Cornwall Campuses and differs materially from the criminal law syllabus of the Streatham Campus (LAW1003).
Part 1: What is crime? The construction and application of criminal offences exploring individualand corporate criminal liability.
- The role of criminal law within society: Using criminal justice theories, current news stories from across the world, as well as our own views and existing knowledge to create working definitions of what crime ‘is’.
- How crimes are defined: (i) the Actus Reus – criminal conduct (ii) Mens Rea – the requisite criminal mental state for liability, strict liability, regulatory offences and corporate criminal responsibility.
- The application of criminal offences. (ii) how non-fatal offences are constructed and questions of consent i (ii) homicide offences and the development of corporate homicide offences.
- Denial of Mans Rea and General Defences.
- Parties to crime
- The application of criminal offences (iii) Property offences, including theft , fraud, bribery & money laundering
- Research project on corporate criminal liability
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | 239 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 28 | 28 x 1 hr lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 21 | 14 x 1.5 hr seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 8 | 4 x 2 hr research group seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 4 | Business and Law Hack Participation |
| Guided Independent Study | 14 | 14 x 1 hr peer-led firm meetings |
| Guided Independent Study | 4 | Peer-led firm meetings for Business and Law Hack |
| Guided Independent Study | 88 | Independent acquisition and widening of learning on topics |
| Guided Independent Study | 55 | Preparation for Virtual Scrapbook Formative and Summative submissions |
| Guided Independent Study | 78 | Research for and preparation of Research Project Submission |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided feedback sessions built as part of asynchronous and synchronous activities | As required by weekly ILOs | 1, 3-4, 6 | Tutor, peer and self-assessment |
| Submission of case study outline bibliography | Up to 1000 words | 2,4,6 | Tutor, peer and self-assessment |
| Submission of T1 virtual scrapbook entry | 750 words | 1,3, 5-6 | Written tutor feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Project on your research question on corporate criminal responsibility | 50 | 3,000 words | 2-6 | Written feedback |
| Virtual Scrapbook | 50 | 3,250 words | 1,3, 5-6 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Project | Resubmission of research project (3,000 words) | 2-6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Virtual Scrapbook | Resubmission of virtual scrapbook (3,250 words) | 1,3, 5-6 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Textbooks:
A P Simester, J R Spencer, F Stark, G R Sullivan, G J VirgoCriminal Law: Theory and Doctrine, 7th ed. (Hart Publications, 2019)
J. Herring, Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials, (8th edn,.OUP, 2020)
S. R. Kyd, T. Elliott and M. A. Walters Clarkson and Keating : Criminal Law (10th edn,Sweet and Maxwell 2020)
J. Horder, Ashworth’s Principles of Criminal Law, (9th edn, OUP, 2019)
J. Loveless, M.Allen,C. Derry, Complete Criminal Law, (7th edn., OUP, 2020).
D Ormerod and K Laird Smith, Hogan, & Ormerod's Criminal Law 15th ed. (OUP, 2018)
N. Monaghan, Criminal Law Directions, 6th ed. (OUP, 2020).
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
You are expected to keep up to date with topical events. This is best done by reading newspapers such as The Times, The Guardian or The Independent. You may also find recent and current editions of specialist journals, in particular the Criminal Law Review and the Journal of Criminal Law are particularly useful.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 03/04/2018 |
| Last revision date | 18/05/2021 |
