Course content
This course examines a range of major issues in, and major institutions of, the criminal justice process: police; prosecution practice; and the trial and conviction process. As this subject area overlaps a number of other disciplines and areas of law, sociology, psychology and criminology, my aim is to provide an overview of some of the theoretical underpinnings in the area and of current issues, not to provide an exhaustive coverage. Material will have a socio-legal emphasis. Topics covered will include:
- Underlying values - due process, crime control, models of criminal justice
- The values of, and bias in, the criminal justice process
- Policing, the function of the police, police culture, effectiveness
- Control and accountability in the prosecution process
- Alternatives to prosecution
- The role of victims
- The trial process, including juries
- ‘Remedies’ such as the Independent Police Conduct Authority
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of criminal justice, including underlying values and awareness of differing “models”
Use the theoretical underpinnings to examine the role of power and ethnicity in criminal justice
Demonstrate a clear understanding of the New Zealand prosecution process, including issues of policing, prosecutorial discretion and participants at trial
Demonstrate an understanding of the intersection between substantive law and policy in criminal justice
Think critically about potential reform of the process and alternatives/additions to the defended trial model
Available offerings
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Required materials and equipment
Class representative
The class representative provides a useful way to communicate feedback to the teaching staff during the course. They also work with the VUWSA Education Office on any academic issues that arise in their course. Reps are elected by students by the third week of classes every trimester. Being a rep requires a weekly commitment.
The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington values te reo Māori. Students who wish to submit any of their assessments in te reo Māori must refer to The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy - PDF 134kb
He mea nui te reo Māori ki Te Herenga Waka. Ki te pīrangi koe ki te tuhituhi i ō aro matawai i roto i te reo Māori, tēnā me mātua whakapā atu ki te kaupapa here, The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy - PDF 134kb
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