Unit Outline

This unit is designed to achieve an enhanced level of knowledge, understanding and competence in the areas of criminal procedure and evidence law. Students will consider the formal legal requirements leading to sound operational practice in areas such as arrest, custody and powers to search and develop their understanding through an examination of reported cases and factual scenarios. Students will also consider evidentiary rules in the context of identifying ‘best practice’ in operational policing. Throughout the course, students will be expected to consider police actions in factual situations and identify legal issues arising from either a procedural or evidential perspective, including how such actions might affect the admissibility of evidence. In preparing students to fully participate in this unit and meet intended learning outcomes, the introduction will include material designed to assist students to effectively find legal information from a variety of sources, and to apply this information to factual situations.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Identify and discuss legal issues associated with police procedural and evidence gathering practices.
2	Apply legal rules, principles and doctrines relating to criminal procedure and evidence law to hypothetical fact situations.
3	Implement a variety of research methods to find relevant law to inform policing practice.
4	Critically evaluate the link between practical police procedures and legal obligations, rights and powers.
5	Evaluate the potential effect of police procedural and evidence gathering practices on the admissibility of evidence.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	methods to find relevant legal information.	See the MyLO site for the due date	10 %	LO3
Assessment Task 2:	evidence law	See the MyLO site for the due date	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	criminal procedure	See the MyLO site for the due date	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 4:	criminal process and evidence law	See the MyLO site for the due date	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: methods to find relevant legal information.

Task Description:

Individual; Summative; Quiz that consists of questions testing students’ ability to find legal information from a variety of sources by requiring students to identify an appropriate database to search based upon a given factual scenario, and to implement different searching methods to find relevant legal information.

Task Length:

Varies

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply legal principles to factual scenarios	LO3

Assessment Task 2: evidence law

Task Description:

Evidence Case Study
Case study analysis that will require students to respond to a hypothetical fact scenario, which raises multiple issues of evidence law. Students will need to correctly identify and discuss each evidentiary issue, apply the relevant law to the factual situation and consider what effect the issue might have on an assessment of the admissibility of the piece of evidence.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe legislation and case law	LO1
2	Explain the issues on a fact set	LO1, LO4, LO5
3	Apply legal principles to factual scenarios	LO2, LO3
4	Language, grammar and expression	LO1, LO2, LO4, LO5

Assessment Task 3: criminal procedure

Task Description:

Individual; Summative; Case study analysis that will require students to address a hypothetical fact scenario raising multiple issues relating to criminal procedure. Students need to be able to correctly identify and discuss the relevant legal issues and critically discuss the legal bases for best practice conduct for operational police officers.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe legislation and case law	LO1
2	Explain the issues on a fact set	LO1, LO4, LO5
3	Apply legal principles to factual scenarios	LO2, LO3
4	Language, grammar and expression	LO1, LO2, LO4, LO5

Assessment Task 4: criminal process and evidence law

Task Description:

Individual; Summative; Take home exam that will require students to consider a factset, and return their responses within three days. The factset will address the breadth of the course, and students will be expected to demonstrate applied learning and legal reasoning in relation to both criminal process and evidence law.

Task Length:

2000 words maximum

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe legislation and case law	LO1
2	Explain the issues on a fact set	LO1, LO4, LO5
3	Apply legal principles to factual scenarios	LO2, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.