Overview
This course introduces the general principles governing criminal liability and selected foundational offenses. It examines the purposes, limits, and sources of criminal law; legality; the presumption of innocence; burdens and standards of proof; actus reus; mens rea; causation; coincidence of conduct and fault; omissions; voluntariness; and strict or absolute liability.
The course develops systematic analysis of intention, knowledge, recklessness, negligence, transferred malice, factual and legal causation, intervening acts, secondary participation, attempt, conspiracy, and withdrawal. Selected offenses include homicide, assault, battery, unlawful wounding or bodily harm, theft and appropriation offenses, property damage, and selected public-order or sexual offenses. General defenses include self-defense, duress, necessity, mental disorder, intoxication, mistake, automatism, infancy, and consent where legally relevant.
Students learn to identify legal issues in fact patterns, interpret statutes and cases, evaluate evidence and causation, construct prosecution and defense arguments, and reach justified conclusions. Emphasis is placed on ethical judgment, proportionality, fairness, statutory and case analysis, and the social consequences of criminalization.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the purposes, sources, and limits of criminal law and the principles of legality, fair trial, and the presumption of innocence.
- Identify and distinguish the conduct, circumstance, consequence, and fault elements of criminal offenses.
- Analyze intention, knowledge, recklessness, negligence, voluntariness, omissions, and strict or absolute liability using statutory and case authority.
- Evaluate factual and legal causation, intervening acts, coincidence of actus reus and mens rea, and liability for attempted, joint, or secondary offending.
- Apply statutory provisions and precedent to homicide, assault, property, public-order, and other selected criminal offenses.
- Assess the availability and limits of self-defense, duress, necessity, mental disorder, intoxication, mistake, automatism, infancy, and consent.
- Construct coherent prosecution and defense arguments from a structured analysis of facts, evidence, legal elements, and competing authorities.
- Synthesize legal conclusions that distinguish moral blame from criminal liability and account for proportionality, fairness, and the social consequences of criminalization.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Annotated case briefs (2 × 7.5%) | 15.00% |
| Assignment | Structured problem answers (2 × 10%) | 20.00% |
| Deliverable | Charging analysis | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Simulated moot or trial exercise | 20.00% |
| Exam | Final examination | 30.00% |
Prerequisites
- Requirement 12 NCEA Level 2 English credits, externally assessed
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
