Criminal Law (Crimes)
Code: 100460 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500257 Criminology | OB | 2 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Maria Jose Rodriguez Puerta
- Email:
- mariajose.rodriguez.puerta@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course. However, students will understand it more appropriately if they have already taken and passed the course on general criminal law.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The program of legal courses seeks to provide basic legal training suitable for criminology. The main objective of these courses is to work on legal norms, mostly on those related to the criminal justice system, both substantive and procedural.
Within the Degree in Criminology, the courses on criminal law are intended to offer knowledge on the legal framework of the phenomenon of crime. In this field, the course on Criminal Law – Special Part focuses on penal legal knowledge of violations most frequently observed in forensic practice.
The general aim of this course is set out as follows: "to familiarize both specialists and general society with responses to the problems of criminality and social conflict, which take into account the rights and the interests of all those involved, and that are based on the values of social pacification, social integration and prevention of new conflicts."
In this context, the course on Criminal Law – Special Part has the following objectives:
- To be knowledgeable with the rules of the special part of Criminal Law
- To be familiar with the elements of different types of crime
- To be able to make a critical assessment of judgements judges and courts in the criminal field
Competences
- Ability to analyse and summarise.
- Clearly explaining and arguing a carried out analysis about a conflict or crime problem and its responses in front of specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Drawing up an academic text.
- Identifying the most appropriate and effective penal intervention for each particular case.
- Properly using the legal, psychological, pedagogical and sociological language.
- Respectfully interacting with other people.
- Students must demonstrate they know the legal framework and operating model of the crime control agents.
- Students must demonstrate they know the legal/penal response framework to criminality (constitutional law, police law, procedural law and criminal law).
- Using non-discriminatory and respectful language when referring to the several parties involved in conflict and criminality.
- Verbally transmitting ideas to an audience.
- Working autonomously.
Learning Outcomes
- Ability to analyse and summarise.
- Applying effectiveness criteria when using law in the field of criminology.
- Applying the constitutional law in the criminological field.
- Arguing criminality arguments in a verbal and polite way and without bias.
- Arguing with accuracy legal concepts at a forum.
- Drawing up an academic text.
- Effectively communicating by using specific law terms.
- Respectfully interacting with other people.
- Using the legislation and its means of implementation to the criminal act.
- Verbally transmitting ideas to an audience.
- Working autonomously.
Content
Unit 1. Crimes against human life. Homicide: concepts and structure. Abortion and euthanasia.
Unit 2. Assault and domestic violence
Unit 3. Kidnapping and other crimes against freedom of movement.
Unit 4. Sexual offences
Unit 5. Crimes against privacy
Unit 6. Crimes against property I
Unit 7. Crimes against property II
Unit 8. Drug dealing offences
Unit 9. Car traffic offences
Methodology
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 18 | 0.72 | 3 |
| Seminars | 18 | 0.72 | 3, 5, 4, 7, 6, 8, 1, 10, 9 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Individual and group work | 109 | 4.36 | 3, 7, 6, 8, 1, 11 |
Assessment
1. Continuous evaluation model
Classes start on time. Late arrival or early exit is not admitted, except reasonable justification.
Continuous evaluation will be carried out throughout the fourth months. This requires regular attendance at classes (80%) and the completion of the activities detailed below.
Continuous evaluation activities (50% of the final mark). There are 3 types of continuous evaluation activities:
- Two individual activities: 2 practical exercises (resolution of cases, 40% of the final mark, specifically 15% the first and 25% the second).
- Seminar group activities: In each seminar, students will be asked to carry out activities such as case law search and analysis of courts’ ruling, or to prepare a mock trial. In order to prepare or to complete seminars’ activities, student may be asked to work before or after each seminar. With the purpose of enhancing the learning process, practical exercises on specific cases will also be proposed. These activities will represent the 10% of the final mark).
- Final overall test: multiple choice (50%).
Students who fail to appear for even just one evaluation activity will be allowed to resit only if the absence is justifiable.
2. Single assessment
Students who opt for the single evaluation will be evaluated on the basis of 3 activities to be carried out in 3 hours on the same day scheduled for the final exam:
- A multiple-choice exam, the same done by students who opt for the continuous evaluation (50% of the final mark). 1 h
- The resolution of cases (50% of the final mark). 2 h
Similar to other students, also students who opt for the single evaluation model will have right to teachers’ attention and support throughout the semester, according to the tutorial schedule.
3. Rules for passing the course and re-evaluation
In order to pass the course, students will need to obtain a 5 as the minimum mark
To add up the marks, students will need to obtain, at least, a mark of 2/5 in the multiple-choice exam (4/10).
If the mark of the multiple-choice exam is lower than 2, students must resit.
If the mark in the multiple-choice exam is equal to or higher than 2, but with the aggregation of the other marks the grade is less than 5, students must resit. In this case, they will be asked to analyse and solve a case and/or to complete a multiple-choice exam.
Cheating at any evaluation activity will imply a fail mark (0) and students will lose the right to a new assessment. Each case of plagiarism will be assessed. In the most serious cases, students will be given a fail mark (0) and will lose the right to resit.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group work | 10% | 0 | 0 | 2, 5, 4, 7, 8, 1, 10 |
| Individual works | 40% | 3 | 0.12 | 2, 3, 7, 6, 8, 1, 11, 9 |
| multiple choice | 50% | 2 | 0.08 | 3, 7, 1, 11 |
Bibliography
- Muñoz-Conde, F. (2022). Derecho penal. Parte especial. 24 ed. Tirant lo Blanch (accesible on-line at UAB library).
- Quintero-Olivares, G. (Dir.) (2016). Comentarios a la parte especial del derecho penal. 6ª Ed. Thompson
- Silva-Sánchez, J.M. (Dir.) (2022). Lecciones de Derecho Penal. Parte especial. 8ª ed. Atelier
To prepare the seminars, specific and complementary bibliography will be provided through the Moodle.
Software
Westlaw