Course Outline

LAW107 Criminal Law and Procedure

Course Coordinator:Jackson Orman-Ditchfield (jditchfi@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2026Trimester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course will introduce you to the fundamentals of criminal law and procedure, and develop your legal problem-solving skills. You will explore a wide-range of offences, excuses and defences available in Queensland. 

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Online Learning Materials 1.5hrs Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On-Campus Tutorial 2hrs Week 2 10 times
Online
Learning materials – Online Learning Materials 1.5hrs Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online Tutorial 2hrs Week 2 10 times

Course Topics

In this course, you will learn about the definition of crime, elements of crime, elements of criminal procedure, the role of criminal law, sources of criminal law, classification of offences, overview of the criminal justice system in Queensland, elements of crime and criminal procedure, act or omissions, intention, recklessness, consent, negligence, criminal liability, strict liability, absolute liability, onus and standard of proof, trials of indictable offences, jury trials, summary trials and bail. In addition, you will learn about a wide range of offences such as fatal offences, non-fatal offences, sexual offences, property offences, drug offences, public order offences, traffic offences, attempts and participation in crime. Further, you will learn about a wide range of excuses and defences such as provocation, diminished responsibility, self-defence, insanity, intoxication, honest claim of right to property and mistake of fact.

All course topics may contain mature content due to the nature of the course.

Mature Content

Drug Use, Sex/Sexual references, Violence, Coarse Language, Adult themes

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Analyse facts to identify legal issues within criminal law scenarios. Knowledgeable
Empowered
2 Explain the relevant laws, processes and concepts of criminal law to resolve a legal issue. Knowledgeable
3 Utilize critical thinking, analysis, and sound judgment to apply legal knowledge effectively in diverse contexts, generating appropriate and practical responses to complex problems and ethical issues. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Ethical
4 Demonstrate effective, persuasive, and contextually appropriate written and oral communication. Empowered
5 Develop and demonstrate effective presentation skills, including proper referencing and citation techniques, to communicate legal information accurately and professionally. Empowered
6 Reflect on and evaluate your personal responses to issues you encounter in a criminal law setting. Empowered
Ethical

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Enrolled in UB008 or AD001 or AR013 or AR390 or AR391 or AR392 or AR396 or AR397 or AB310 or AB311

Co-requisites

(LAW100 and LAW105) OR (LAW101)

Anti-requisites

LAW104

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

In the week 1-5 tutorials, you will be invited to engage in learning activities that support you to self-reflect on your learning and provide peer feedback on tutorial answers.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Activity Participation Individual 10%
Answers throughout the 2 hour tutorial
Refer to Format In Class
All 2 Journal Individual 40%
1000 Words
Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Examination - Centrally Scheduled Individual 50%
3 Hours
Exam Period Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Oral Answers to Tutorial Questions
Goal:
The goal of this individual task is to assess your ability to identify and verbally communicate legal and ethical issues in factual problems that may confront a criminal lawyer and your capacity to suggest an appropriate professional response.
Product: Activity Participation
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Oral answers to tutorial questions in Weeks 2 - 6.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identify and explain the relevant criminal law procedures and principles to a given question.
1 2
2
Communicate your answers effectively.
4
3
Provide an appropriate professional response to the given question.
3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Journal
Goal:
The goal of this individual task is to assess your ability to reflect on criminal law and procedure, and the roles of counsel, judge or magistrate in a real courtroom.
Product: Journal
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Individual reflective journal using a provided template, following a visit to a courtroom.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Reflect and evaluate the role of criminal law and its procedures, including your own personal responses to the issues encountered in the field.
6
2
Communicate your reflection effectively.
4 6
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Final Examination
Goal:
The goal of this individual task is to assess your ability to identify relevant criminal law and procedure issues in a factual problem, explain the relevant rules of criminal law and procedure derived from statute and case law, apply the relevant criminal law and procedure rules to a factual problem, and reach arguable conclusions.
Product: Examination - Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format:
This assessment task is an online, open-book and invigilated exam. You will be required to attend a live Zoom session throughout the duration of the exam and need access to a working computer, a stable internet connection, and a webcam.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identify legal issues within criminal law and procedure scenarios
1
2
Explain the relevant laws, processes and concepts to resolve a criminal law question
2
3
Apply the law to an unseen factual scenario
3
4
Communicate the legal issues and solutions accurately and effectively, demonstrating proper referencing and citation techniques.
4 5
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Kelley Burton, Thomas Crofts and Stella Tarrant 2020 Principles of Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia 3rd Thomson Reuters
Recommended Kelley Burton, Thomas Crofts, James Duffy and Meredith Blake 2023 LexisNexis Questions and Answers: Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia 3rd LexisNexis

Specific requirements

This course meets the necessary content requirements for Criminal Law and Procedure under the Prescribed Areas of Knowledge of Schedule 1 of the LACC Uniform Admission Rules 2015 (the ‘Priestley 11’). 

Student will be required to visit a real courtroom in order to complete the Task 2 assessment.

How are risks managed in this course?

Risk assessments have been performed for all field activities and a low level of health and safety risk exists. Some risks concerns may include working in an unknown environment as well as slip and trip hazards. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: