Criminal Law and Political Justice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

Criminology at Level 1

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Criminal law has a central importance in criminology, since it is the criminal law which determines the legality or illegality of behaviours. This subject studies social and political dimensions of the criminal law as it governs institutional processes and the construction of criminality. The first section of the course covers differences in the ways that criminal law and criminology construct social issues as crime, with particular emphasis on the legal processes of criminal justice. The next sections provide substantive examinations of different aspects of the social and political dimensions of criminal law with particular emphasis on topical areas currently subject to contestation and change: such as the regulation of public space; and the ways in which the criminal law seeks to regulate the production of images.

On completion of this subject students should:

• Have familiarity with the processes and categories of criminal law;

• Have the ability to describe and analyse some ways of regulating crime through criminal law;

• Understand some of the political and social dimensions of the institutions and practices of criminal law;

• Understand some of the ways in which criminal law produces and regulates everyday life in the contemporary city;

• Have the ability to explain some aspects of the role and construction of gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity in the criminal law;

• Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

A 2000 word essay (50%) due mid-semester, and a final 2000 word essay (50%) due during the examination period.

Hurdle Requirement: This subject has a minimum Hurdle Requirement of 75% tutorial attendance. Regular participation in tutorials is required.

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Readings for this subject will be availalbe online via the subject's LMS site.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Available as a Breadth subject to non-Bachelor of Arts students