Criminal Law Quiz

Module Guide Overview

• The module guide provides an overview of the course, including the purpose, learning objectives, and assessment details.

Sources of Criminal Law

• Statutes, common law, and European Union law are sources of criminal law.

Knowledge and Understanding

• Enhancing knowledge and understanding of the subject requires regular reading and engagement with the recommended textbooks.

Prosecution Proceedings

• The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has the overall responsibility for bringing proceedings.
• The main factor influencing the decision to proceed with a prosecution is the likelihood of a conviction.

Court Proceedings

• The majority of offences are heard in the Magistrates' Court.

Reading Key Cases

• The textbook 'Case and Materials on Criminal Law' is a key resource for reading key cases.
• The purpose of reading key cases is to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and develop critical thinking skills.

Chapter Reviews

• It is recommended to review and reflect on the key points at the end of each chapter.

Examination Skills

• The examination tests various skills, including knowledge, understanding, and application.

Trial Proceedings

• The jury is responsible for deciding how much weight to give to the evidence presented in a trial.
• Jury directions are instructions given by the judge to the jury on the law and the evidence.

European Convention on Human Rights

• The case of Dudgeon v UK (1981) led to the ruling that a legislative provision criminalising homosexual activity between consenting adults in private in Northern Ireland was a breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Textbooks

• 'Wilson' refers to the textbook 'Criminal Law' by Williams.
• The e-book version of 'Criminal Law' is recommended over the hard copy only version.
• The textbook 'Smith and Hogan' is described as having a great deal of value added.
• The textbook 'Ormerod and Laird' is encouraged to be read widely and referred to occasionally.

Elements of Crime

• The three basic elements of a crime are actus reus, mens rea, and concurrence.
• Actus reus refers to the guilty act or omission.
• Mens rea refers to the guilty mind or intention.

Purpose of Criminal Law

• According to the American Model Penal Code, one of the purposes of criminal law is to protect the public from harm.

Threshold of Criminal Law Intervention

• The criminal law intervenes when the threshold of harm or risk of harm is crossed.

Distinction between Criminal Law and Other Laws

• The distinction between criminal law and the law of contract and tort lies in the level of culpability and the type of punishment.

Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm

• Assault occasioning actual bodily harm requires proof of the presence of actual bodily harm.

Skills for Proficiency in Criminal Law

• Effective discharge of the day-to-day tasks of a criminal lawyer requires knowledge, understanding, and critical thinking skills.

Understanding Criminal Law

• Understanding criminal law requires a deep understanding of the rules, principles, and policies.
• Lawyers subject the rules to critical scrutiny to develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

Latin Maxim

• The Latin maxim actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea is commonly translated as "an act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is guilty".

Definition of Murder

• According to Section 4.2 of Wilson, the definition of murder is an unlawful killing with malice aforethought.