Handbook

The course builds on understandings gained in the core criminal law courses and uses a number of topics to develop a detailed understanding of the principles and political pressures that shape criminal law and the criminal process. The course draws on multi-disciplinary perspectives to offer students different ways to understand and critique the operation of the criminal justice system. Topics also allow for an examination of theoretical and philosophical perspectives on criminal law.

The course provides an opportunity to study areas of criminal law that are not covered in Crime and the Criminal Process, Criminal Laws as well as develop deeper and more comprehensive knowledge of topics from those courses. It is related to Court Process, Evidence and Proof which covers criminal procedure and the law of evidence. The course is responsive to contemporary developments in the criminal law and justice system and so the exact topics covered from year to year will vary.

This course also allows students to develop their own legal and inter-disciplinary research skills through a self-directed research project.

Topics covered in the course may include:

• Indigenous justice issues
• white collar crime
• gender, crime and the criminal process