Course Title: Criminal Law Investigation and Procedure

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Criminal Law Investigation and Procedure

Credit Points: 12.00

Important Information:

Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities. 

To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption. 

Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209. 

Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus.

Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance. 

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
HWSS2119	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2011
HWSS2119	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Internet	Summer2015, Summer2018, Spring2019, Summer2022
HWSS2120	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2011
HWSS2120	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face or Internet	Summer2015
HWSS2120	City Campus	Undergraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Internet	Summer2018, Spring2019, Summer2022

Course Coordinator: Dr. Brianna Chesser

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 399259238

Course Coordinator Email: brianna.chesser@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 37, Floor 4 Room 20

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None.

Course Description

In this course, you will learn and apply the principles and elements of state and federal laws relating to criminal investigation and procedure. In particular, you will consider the powers of investigators and statutory investigative regimes, discretion to initiate prosecution, the discretion to initiate prosecution, how criminal proceedings are commenced, the nature of bail, the process of hearings including appeals. You will consider the application of these principles in the context of the substantive criminal law.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:

• CLO 1: Recognise some of the important processes of the criminal law with focus on the balance between the rights of the individual and the state
• CLO 2: Critically assess laws relating to investigation and procedure 
• CLO 3: Demonstrate your problem solving skills by applying laws relating to investigation and procedure to hypothetical fact situations
• CLO 4: Critique recent reforms and the context of reform in the area of criminal procedure
• CLO 5: Demonstrate legal research techniques.

 

In this course, you will develop the following graduate capabilities:

• Critical analysis and problem solving
• Communication
• Effective management and use of information

Overview of Learning Activities

This course is generally delivered online using a series of modules.  When the course is delivered in face-to-face mode, learning activities include lectures, seminars, tutorials, case studies, problem solving exercises, videos, and student lead discussions. 

Overview of Learning Resources

A textbook or case book may be prescribed for this course. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment will include:

1) Quizzes 20% assesses CLOs 1,2

2) Case Study 30% (1200 words) assesses CLOs 2,3

3) Research Essay 50% (1800 words) assesses CLOs 1,2,4,5.