Criminal Law and Justice Systems

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Relationship between assessment and course goals:
In this course, the final course grade is based on four elements: participation (individual), class, assignments (individual) one position paper (individual), and a simulation (group).

1. 1. Participation           4-6
   2. Presentations        1-3, 6
   3. Exam 1                  1-3, 5
   4. Moot court             1, 5-6

This course aims to introduce students to the foundational principles of criminal law and the operation of criminal justice systems within a broader social, political, and comparative context. Rather than approaching criminal law purely as a technical body of rules, the course invites students to examine how societies define crime, attribute responsibility, and justify punishment. Students will explore the core elements of criminal liability alongside the institutional structures and actors that shape the administration of justice. By situating legal doctrine within criminological, historical, and socio-legal perspectives, the course encourages students to reflect critically on how justice systems function in practice and how they respond to issues of inequality, power, and social harm.
The course challenges students to distinguish between legal reasoning and broader moral or policy arguments, and to consider how different societies balance accountability, rights protection, and social order. Through discussion-based learning and engagement with case studies and academic literature, students will develop the ability to analyse, debate, and communicate complex ideas about crime and justice in a clear and thoughtful manner. Overall, the course aims to foster both doctrinal understanding and critical reflection, equipping students with the intellectual tools to engage meaningfully with contemporary debates about crime, punishment, and justice.

Format
This course meets four times per week, and class time will consist of a combination of lecture, student presentations, and class discussion. Students are expected to have completed the assigned readings and to actively engage in class exercises and discourse. During the semester each student will prepare and give a class presentation on a current event or issue in criminal law or criminal justice. Additionally, students will complete a mid-term and final exam.