Overview
LAWS11060 Criminal law provides knowledge of the procedures of and general doctrines of criminal law with emphasis on offences against the person (including murder, manslaughter and assault) and against property (including stealing) as expressed in the Queensland Criminal Code. Selective treatment is given to various defences and to the elements of criminal procedure. This unit meets the LPAB requirements for criminal law and procedure.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Corequisite: LAWS11057
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE feedback
Some students commented they would like a powerpoint to read in combination with the podcast/audio lecture
Develop lecture videos (as an alternative to podcasts) and provide powerpoints to the students
Feedback from SUTE feedback
Students appreciate real world practical examples and enjoy applying the law to problem scenarios, particularly as problem questions feature on exam papers
Ensure real world examples continue to be incorporated into lectures and workshops. Ensure problem questions continue to be a regular feature of workshop questions in preparation for the exam and IRAC is explicitly taught as part of the workshops.
- Analyse and explain the elements of the criminal offence or defence, and the onus and burden of proof
- Research and apply principles of criminal law in Queensland as expressed in legislation and case law to the analysis of criminal law problems
- Apply skills in communication, critical legal thinking and reasoning.
This unit satisfies the Priestley 11 requirements for Criminal Law as approved by the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||
| 2 - Examination - 60% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Textbooks
Criminal Law in Queensland
2nd Edition (2023)
Authors: Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott, Carl Tessmann
Lawbook Co., Thomson Reuters,Australia
Australia
ISBN: 9780455246574
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Camera and microphone for attending Zoom tutorials
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 4th ed
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
n.corbett-jarvis@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to criminal law principles, warrant and arrest process, and bail
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapters 1 and 2
Kelley Burton, Thomas Crofts and Stella Tarrant, Principles of Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia (Lawbook Co, 3rd ed, 2020), Chapter 2 (available as an e-book in the library).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Court processes in criminal law and sentencing
Chapter
Kelley Burton, Thomas Crofts and Stella Tarrant, Principles of Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia (Lawbook Co, 3rd ed, 2020), Chapter 16 (available as an e-book in the library).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Inchoate and secondary liability
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapters 5 and 6.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Homicide
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapter 7.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Assault and sexual assault
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapters 8 and 10.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Offences relating to property (stealing and robbery)
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Pages 335 - 355.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Offences relating to property (burglary, receiving, fraud) and drug offences
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Pages 356 - 376 and Chapter 12.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Defences: Mistake
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapter 13.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Practical Skills Task - Written Bail Application Due: Week 8 Friday (9 May 2025) 6:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Defences: Self Help and Provocation
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapters 14 and 15.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Defences: Insanity
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapter 16.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Defences: Intoxication
Chapter
Andreas Schloenhardt, Joseph Lelliott and Carl Tessmann, Criminal Law in Queensland (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2023), Chapter 17.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Criminal Law Sentencing and Appeals Process
Chapter
Kelley Burton, Thomas Crofts and Stella Tarrant, Principles of Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia (Lawbook Co, 3rd ed, 2020), Chapter 16 (available as an e-book in the library).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom workshop
Module/Topic
Final exam to be held during the exam period
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
You will be presented with a criminal law problem scenario and you must advance legal arguments on behalf of one or more of the characters in the scenario. To complete the task you must undertake legal research and apply this research to support your legal argument.
The purpose of this assessment is to develop and build your legal advocacy skills and written communication skills.
Week 8 Friday (9 May 2025) 6:00 pm AEST
Students must upload their assessment as a Word document.
Estimated return time is 2 weeks. Papers will be returned once all papers (including those with authorised extensions) have been submitted.
You will be assessed on your ability to:
- conduct legal research,
- identify legal issues,
- apply the law to the facts
- advance persuasive legal arguments,
- communicate effectively in writing, and
- reference in accordance with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC4)
A criteria rubric will be provided in Moodle under the 'Assessment' tile.
- Research and apply principles of criminal law in Queensland as expressed in legislation and case law to the analysis of criminal law problems
- Apply skills in communication, critical legal thinking and reasoning.
Examination
No calculators permitted
Law dictionaries, Business and Law dictionaries (discipline specific dictionaries) are authorised.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
