LAW4113 Current problems in criminal law
Faculty of Law
LAW4113 Current problems in criminal law is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW4113
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After LAW4113
No unit lists LAW4113 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must have completed at least 60 credit points of law study
Overview
Topics will be drawn from both the general part of the criminal law, for example: self-defence, duress, necessity, and accessorial liability; specific offences, for example, sexual offences, contempt, crimes relating to national security, transnational crimes, and public order (anti-protest) laws, and issues such as incarceration rates, prisons, sentencing, miscarriages of justice and the role of the media in the criminal process. You will be called upon to undertake independent research.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Class participationDemonstration10%
- Written assignmentWritten40%
- Written assignmentWritten50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Define and critically reflect upon contemporary issues and areas for reform in criminal law and procedure.
- 2
Identify, analyse and apply legal principles of relevance to criminal law and procedure to construct persuasive and well-supported arguments.
- 3
Research, synthesise and evaluate legal and policy issues and comparative perspectives in criminal law and procedure.
- 4
Communicate ideas and arguments clearly and effectively, both in writing and orally in an interactive learning context.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources. Prescribed texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Pascale Chifflet
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4113?
LAW4113 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW4113 offered?
In 2026, LAW4113 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is LAW4113?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4113 have an exam?
No. LAW4113 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.