Law and Criminal Justice LLB Honours

This module will introduce you to the subject of Criminal Law. You will study the principles that form the core of Criminal Law including offences such as murder, manslaughter, non-fatal offences against the person, sexual offences, theft, burglary, robbery and attempts. You will also study defences such as insanity, automatism, self-defence and intoxication.

As well as being taught these core principles you will also be taught the theories that underpin the creation of criminal law in order to understand how we decide when to use the criminal law. You will also develop an understanding of the contextual dimension of the subject such as its role in politics, economics and society.

You will develop your research, writing and lawyering skills and apply these skills to the skeleton argument assessment. You will be taught via a variety of methods including television programmes, the media and online resources to reflect the interesting and dynamic subject that criminal law is.

This module will introduce you to the ongoing debates surrounding the key institutions of the criminal justice system. For example, you will learn about the current challenges facing the police, the different approaches to young offenders and how the prison system operates. You will explore the policy and practice that form the core of the criminal justice system and gain awareness of the contextual dimension of the subject. The module will also allow you to develop your research and writing skills within a structured and supported context working with fellow students, and guided and supervised by a tutor.

This module will introduce you to aspects of the ways in which lawyers think and use laws in different contexts. It will allow you to develop an understanding of the ways in which lawyers and legal scholars locate, interpret, apply and evaluate the law and its effect on the world. It will also introduce you to the principles which govern and structure some key legal systems, including the English legal system, as well as other key legal traditions, including regional and international ones. You will learn to find, understand and present scholarly commentary on the law and its content, and present your own viewpoint.

Private law covers all aspects of our lives that cannot be described as criminal law or public law. It is the law that governs the rights and duties that exist between individuals and/or organisations, rather than the State. This module will introduce you to the legal duties and rights which govern the relationship between individuals and their application, within the fields of tort and contract law. You will look at the main tort of negligence and consider for example the circumstances in which it is possible to succeed on a claim for harm suffered as a result of an accident that was not your fault. You will also consider how contracts are formed and what rights can arise and be excluded in some common forms of contract.

This module is an introduction to the basic principles of constitutional and administrative law, which are important because they underpin the democratic state with which you interact every day. The content will cover fundamental concepts such as the nature of the British constitution, the status of the Parliament in the constitutional system and the impact of Brexit on UK law. There will be a focus on engaging with current issues and how these impact on the relationship between individuals and the state.

This module draws upon a range of material from film and television to explore representations of law, justice and legal personnel. What do the images, plots, characters and storylines tell the viewers about the law and legal system? The module uses the film and television portrayals as the primary source of material in concert with texts and other academic commentary. You will watch the films and/or TV courses during the class which leads to discussion and analysis.

This module involves the study of the practical application of the law in the main areas of legal practice. It is of primary interest to those who plan to practice in law. The module will focus on the changing nature of the legal profession and its regulation. You will learn about professional ethics and the rules of professional conduct. The module will also focus on the development of legal skills necessary for legal study and practice with a particular focus on legal research and interviewing, advising and client care.

Following the atrocities of World War II, states internationally agreed to safeguard the inherent dignity of every human being by protecting inalienable rights to which all members of the human family were equally entitled. Those rights, recognised as ‘human rights’, are still relevant today as they remain heavily violated worldwide and require protection. Various mechanisms have been established at the international and regional levels to monitor human rights’ implementation. Furthermore, various actors have come into play.

This module aims at introducing the fundamentals of human rights and the law, while at the same time trying to motivate you to later deepen your interest in human rights law. This will be done in an engaging and interactive style that aims to inspire your research instincts. It starts with broad discussion on rights and continues with an exploration of the central institutions of the human rights regime, while pointing to some of the main controversies in the human rights system.

At times where Islamic law is in the media, the module will offer you a critical understanding and comparative overview of Islamic law in its historical and contemporary aspects. The aim is to introduce you to the jurisprudence, the legal history and the techniques used in Islamic law through the centuries. This includes the early development of the law, the emergence of the schools of law, classical theory in the mediaeval period, modernist methodologies and evolution of the law from the 19th century to the present. The module is delivered using English-language scholarship. In the second part of the module, Islamic criminal law and Islamic family law are examined in light of a consideration of classical rules and recent developments in legal systems applying Islamic law in various States of the Muslim world.

The module concerns the relationship between law and social media. It considers the social impact and effect that social media has on our everyday life and questions the extent to which law is capable to regulate it and protect its users. In doing so, it engages with broader social, economic, political and cultural aspects of social media and the effect you have on society at large.

The module engages with relevant case studies and introduces the available regulatory frameworks and policy changes for the regulation of social media. The module covers a range of different subject areas, such as privacy, cyberbullying, psychology of trolling, civil and criminal penalties, revenge porn, defamation, advertising regulations, and intellectual property right. Finally, it engages with the ongoing debates, policies and government initiatives that aim to recognise and introduce greater responsibility on the part of the social media platforms.

During this module you'll be guided through the processes required to undertake a moot, by practically researching and applying the law and developing confidence in advocacy. You'll also explore basic theories of how the space and performance of the courtroom affects both practitioner and client experience of law, in order to enhance understanding of how to effectively deliver and perform oral arguments. You will receive constructive feedback throughout the course of the module in terms of your progress.

The module encourages you to develop your independent learning and critical reflection on your performance in the context of relevant work-based learning experiences, providing an opportunity for you to evaluate the workplace culture, your development, and your potential future role in the legal services industry. The module will also contribute to the development of your communication, interpersonal and other transferable skills in the context of relevant work-based learning. The module also encourages you to critically reflect on the changing nature and future of the legal profession, providing you with an opportunity to consider your potential future role within this context.

This module will enable you to understand and evaluate aspects of the legal framework which relates to business and businesses. It will provide you with an opportunity to consider the formation and internal organisation of businesses, the law related to the relationship between businesses, as well as the relationship between businesses and other stakeholders, including the community. In this module you will learn how a company is formed, the legal duties of a company, and the company's broader responsibilities in the wider business community.

The module focuses on the regulation of police investigations and preparations for trial by defence and prosecution in our adversarial process. This includes police powers to stop, arrest, detain, and question individuals, as well as decisions on charging, pleading guilty/not guilty, protecting anonymity, the pre-trial disclosure of evidence, and other issues key to the integrity and admissibility of evidence and the fairness of a trial. You will critically evaluate the fundamental knowledge base that shapes these rules, the implications of key judicial decisions and the constant tension between crime control and due process that are the contextual dynamics of shifting policy initiatives.

This module provides an immersive introduction to professional legal skills, enabling you to develop and apply a range of core lawyering skills, as well as strategic and creative thinking, in a realistic professional context. The module also provides an overview of the changing nature of the legal profession. You will have the opportunity to exercise key skills such as negotiating, advocacy, client interviewing, professional legal research, and professional legal writing and drafting.

This module introduces you to the principles and concepts of modern English property law. You will explore the legal framework of registered land to understand why land transactions are registered at the Land Registry, estates and interests in land, distinguishing between law and equity to understand how the various interests in land are protected, the law relating to mortgages, to understand how a bank can take steps to repossess and how defaulting borrowers can defend a potential claim, the creation of a constructive trust and quantification of land in implied co-ownership, to understand what happens to the home when more parties buy a home together and the relationship breaks down – how the courts deal with the different scenarios, dispute resolution to understand what happens when co-owners end up in a dispute, express trust, implied trusts, constructive trust of the family home, fiduciary duties and the three certainties and remedies.

This module will address the public law child protection and family support provisions in Parts III, IV and V of the Children Act 1989, including local authority support for children and families, care and supervision of children and child protection powers and duties. It will also look at the broader context of policy and guidance in this area.

This module considers a range of political and criminological theories that will lead to a better understanding of the law in its criminal and cultural context, including its social role and theoretical foundations.

You will explore how theories, put forward by authors from Erving Goffman and David Garland to Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault have relevance for contemporary understandings of law, culture and crime. You will learn about explanations for crime causation, including psychological and sociological theories, as well as how political populism has informed criminal justice policy, particularly over the last 40 or so years. Subcultural and deviancy theories will also be explored, while you will have the opportunity to study thematic areas, including sex and victimisation, youth justice and drugs/alcohol, in order to consider how social and cultural theories have informed the development of the law and the contemporary criminal justice system.  

This module will introduce students to the main foundations of European Criminal Law. Students will learn about the mutual recognition in criminal matters, in particular the European Arrest Warrant. Furthermore, students will be familiarised with a package of defence rights directives (for instance, the right to translation and interpretation in criminal proceedings) as well as the legislation on the rights of victims. Students will also study harmonisation of definitions of crimes and penalties. The role of Eurojust, Europol, and the European Public Prosecutor will be explored, too. Finally, students will be familiarised with post-Brexit framework for cooperation in criminal matters between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

This module introduces you to European law, with a particular emphasis on the European Union as the continent’s largest international organisation. In this module, you will examine current legal issues in this field and will become familiar with the EU’s legislative, judicial, and operational structures. This foundational knowledge will be applied to selected areas of procedural and substantive law, which may include topics such as the internal market, technology regulation, human rights protection, and the EU’s external relations (including Brexit). These subjects are analysed within their broader historical, political, economic, and social contexts.

This module provides, through case studies, a broad introduction to the role and function of law with respect to social justice, in domestic, international and/or global settings. The module will focus on how the law can be a tool for social justice or an instrument of injustice that can bring about or condone marginalisation, exclusion and repression. Building on case studies such as access to education, disability, access to health care, social media and data protection or environmental issues, that bring together domestic, international and global issues, the module will introduce basic concepts of law, ethics and social theory, and will examine their relevance for understanding and effecting social change.

This module examines the intersection between the two disciplines of law and social psychology. You will cover various aspects of the criminal trial process, linking theories and ideas from social psychology with the practice of the criminal justice system. For example, research has cast doubt on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Similarly, Solomon Asch's work examined the influence of group dynamics on individual decision-making – could this be applied to jury deliberations? The exact module content will vary according to topical relevance.

This module aims to build on foundational knowledge acquired at Level 4. The management of people deemed to pose risk to themselves or the wider community is a core statutory (and discretionary) function of modern policing, encompassing broad areas of police activity and resources. This is often called 'offender management' in normative narratives. Considering the 'problem solving triangle' approach, offender management is one of three elements considered of great significance to crime control.

This module will interrogate and explore these narratives to look at typologies of victim and offender to understand the inter-relationships between the two. You'll also look at intersectionality and the impact this can have on over-representation in the criminal justice system and the role that policing plays in this journey.

You'll be introduced to the core concepts of case identification, assessment of risk, and risk management planning. You'll look at theoretical models of offending and intervention models; including those relevant to special population groups such as children (Youth Offending Teams and Youth Justice) and women (using case studies from Birmingham and Manchester). You'll also explore interventions relevant to those with Multiple Complex Needs and poor mental health. You'll explore scheme of management such as Integrated Offender Management (IOM); and special arrangements in place for offenders considered 'dangerous' (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements 'MAPPA'). You'll also look at the lifetime management of special categories of offender such as terrorists and sex offenders.

This module will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of criminal law. You will study a variety of areas of criminal law, starting with the theoretical approaches to criminalisation. The theories and processes of punishment will also be explored, as well as the causes and rectification of miscarriages of justice. The module then examines various aspects of criminal law, with a particular focus on how it operates in both regulatory and social contexts. These areas include how the law regulates aspects of social control, such as public order, healthcare choices (including the right to die), sexual autonomy, and immigration. It then looks at criminal law in a social context, including areas such as drugs and crime, domestic crime, and hate crime. The module examines the law underpinning these areas, but it also adopts a broad criminological perspective, situating these areas of law within the context of political, economic, policy, and societal influences.

In this module, you will consider the rules in detail that determine the admissibility of evidence in a criminal trial. It will examine the extent to which these rules safeguard the integrity of the trial and deliver an appropriate balance between upholding due process and protecting the public from crime. It will examine the key principles underlying the development of these rules, their judicial interpretation and implementation, and their fundamental role in our adversarial system. Through this module and its examination of these challenging issues, you'll develop a range of skills relating to research, critical evaluation and effective writing, along with a deep appreciation of the wider significance of the rules that regulate the admissibility of evidence into a criminal trial.

This module is designed to function as a bridge between your academic journey through the law towards your future professional career. The module will support you to build on your core legal knowledge and skills and developing foundational professional knowledge to create a launchpad for future professional or academic careers. In particular, those in the legal profession, including both barristers and solicitors. Foundational knowledge around legal practice and practical legal skills will be developed through lectures and seminars. It is hoped that this will provide you with the necessary professional practice skills to embark on future study, work in law, or more broadly in the business or charity sectors. The module is forward-looking and will embed essential employability, study and practical legal skills. You will also  produce an artefact or creative work which reflects your journey throughout your law degree

This module allows you to engage in an advanced research project, working closely under the supervision of an academic or professional expert in the relevant field. You will develop advanced legal and critical research skills, and use these to map the state of the art in the area of your project. You will produce a research project which either contributes to a larger on-going project as part of a team or individually with your expert supervisor, and your findings will be presented in the form of a relevant written submission which contains your critical perspectives and conclusions. You will also work with to produce an artefact or creative work which reflects your journey throughout your law degree.

This module provides you with a valuable opportunity to gain work experience in a real legal environment (the University of Westminster Legal Advice Clinic) and, crucially, to learn by reflecting on that experience using a structured, academic approach - in other words, clinical legal education. By undertaking this module, you will gain, as a prospective legal practitioner, an understanding of the professional requirements of assisting real clients with legal problems. You will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge of law, policy and procedure to real cases in a supervised and supportive environment, and to develop an insight into your own professional approach to practising law. The module will focus on the various stages of managing a client's legal issue/case, including how to progress a case, as well as the skills and knowledge required for this purpose.

This module provides you with a valuable opportunity to gain work experience in a real legal environment (the University of Westminster Legal Advice Clinic) and, crucially, to learn by reflecting on that experience using a structured, academic approach - in other words, clinical legal education. By undertaking this module, you will gain, as a prospective legal practitioner, an understanding of the professional requirements of assisting real clients with legal problems. You will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge of law, policy and procedure to real cases in a supervised and supportive environment, and to develop an insight into your own professional approach to practising law. The module will focus on the initial stages of managing a case, specifically interviewing and advising clients, as well as the skills and knowledge required for this task.

This module aims to build on knowledge, understanding and experiences gained on the programme to date and goes further to develop your critical thinking skills. The module will interrogate various aspects of terrorism, focusing on the unique role of counter terrorism (and Counter Terrorism Policing) has in British policing, but also looking at terrorism in appropriate historical, theoretical and global perspectives.

The module explores the legal footing of terrorism in Britain and explores the 'exceptionalism' thesis for the extraordinary powers used by the state to combat terror. We will look at current government policy, using case studies to illustrate what outcomes currently derive from the British 4P approach, and gaining insight into when things go wrong and why.

We will critically examine the increasing overlap seen between how policing deals with terrorism, extremism and lawful protest. The module will also use the literature and primary material to help understand diverse perspectives on terrorism, how it is policed and the impact this has on confidence and trust in British policing.

Employment law provides you with a broad framework to understand, analyse and apply the fundamental principles of the law of work, workers’ rights and the rights and duties of employers. Employment law is an exciting and extremely practical area of law which allows you to develop an advanced understanding of how the law balances competing political, legal, economic and ethical issues in the real world. The module covers the legal structure of employment relationships, looking at matters such as fundamental rights at work, wages, dismissal and equal pay. The module, therefore, combines questions of justice and rights, on the one hand, with practical questions relating to businesses and how they are run.

The module aims to provide an opportunity to consider the role of the law in relation to the family, the ways in which the state and the law intervene in and regulate private and family life, and whether such intervention and regulation is justifiable. It will cover subjects such as domestic violence, divorce and child law. The module will also identify the substantive law in key areas, consider its origins and development, and consider its application to solve factual problems.

The module examines the legal and political contexts of human rights, exploring prevailing controversies and contemporary challenges to (and of) human rights. As such, the module adopts an inquiry-based approach to the critical assessment of human rights as an idea, law and practice, asking what human rights do for people. The module consists of two main parts, the first of which situates human rights within its legal and political contexts, identifying critiques and controversies of human rights, before moving to consider contemporary challenges to human rights such as terrorism, hate speech, mass surveillance, anti-immigration and asylum policies, populist and nationalist ideologies.

The module will introduce you to the substantive and institutional aspects of international criminal law and criminal justice. As well as looking at the evolution and scope of 'core' international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles underpinning international criminal law and develop a nuanced awareness of the intricate institutional architecture supporting global justice. The module offers a unique opportunity to critically explore the successes and shortcomings of major international mechanisms established to combat these crimes. You will emerge with the ability to assess the efficacy of these mechanisms in addressing the most pressing global challenges related to mass atrocities, while also gaining valuable insights into the practical implications of implementing international criminal justice.