Comparative Criminal Law I
- Law
- 800 level
- 3 credit units
- 105 pages
- 19 units
This course focuses on criminal responsibility, elements of offences, and available defenses, taking a comparative approach across jurisdictions like Nigeria, Ghana, and India. It explores the concept, content, and basis of criminal responsibility, addressing offenses such as murder and manslaughter. The course also examines strict liability and sexual offenses, providing a comprehensive understanding of criminal law principles and their application in different legal systems. Students will analyze legal standards, case laws, and statutory provisions to evaluate criminal responsibility and defenses.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 26 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of PUL805, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
- UNIT 1 THE MEANING OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITYPage IX
- UNIT 2 THE CONCEPT, CONTENT AND BASIS OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITYPage 7
- UNIT 3: THE CONCEPTUAL PROBLEM OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CODIFICATION IN BOTH COMMON LAW AND CIVIL LAW JURISDICTIONS (NIGERIA, GHANA, INDIA, QUEENSLAND)Page 11
- UNIT 4: THE COMPARATIVE SOURCES OF CRIMINAL LAW IN JURISDICTIONS (NIGERIA, GHANA, INDIA, SUDAN RESPECTIVELY)Page 15
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
PUL805 · UNIT 1 THE MEANING OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY
To know if a person is criminally responsible will include the person’s competence, defences and whether the prosecution is able to prove all the elements of the crime.
What you should be able to do
- Explain criminal responsibility
- Identify elements of offenses
- Discuss defenses to criminal offenses
- Analyze legal standards
- Compare criminal laws across jurisdictions
What it prepares you for
- Law Enforcement
- Legal Counsel
- Judiciary
- Paralegal
- Criminal Investigator
- Law
- Government
- Security
- Corrections
- Judicial System
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 1: General Principles; The Concept And Basis of Criminal Responsibility; Comparative Sources of Criminal Law
Unit 3: The Conceptual Problem of Criminal Responsibility and Codification in both Common Law and Civil Law Jurisdictions (Nigeria, Ghana, India, Queensland)
The conceptual problem of criminal responsibility requires understanding of both common law and civil law jurisdictions, including Nigeria, Ghana, India, and Queensland, demanding a broad comparative analysis.
- Module 5: Defences to Various Offences Comparatively and Recommendations
Unit 1: Insanity
Insanity as a legal defense requires a deep understanding of psychological and legal principles, as well as the ability to apply these principles in complex factual scenarios.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: General Principles; The Concept And Basis of Criminal Responsibility; Comparative Sources of Criminal Law
Unit 1: The Meaning of Criminal Responsibility · 2 hours
Define criminal responsibility. Discuss the anticipated results of committing a crime. Explain the laws governing crimes across jurisdictions.
- Week 2Module 1: General Principles; The Concept And Basis of Criminal Responsibility; Comparative Sources of Criminal Law
Unit 2: The Concept, Content and Basis of Criminal Responsibility · 2 hours
Discuss how criminal responsibility is evaluated. Explain legal defenses to criminal responsibility. Examine the relationship between intention and anti-social events.
- Week 3Module 1: General Principles; The Concept And Basis of Criminal Responsibility; Comparative Sources of Criminal Law
Unit 3: The Conceptual Problem of Criminal Responsibility and Codification in both Common Law and Civil Law Jurisdictions (Nigeria, Ghana, India, Queensland) · 2 hours
Analyze conceptual problems of criminal responsibility. Examine principles in statutes and case laws. Compare principles across jurisdictions.
- Week 4Module 1: General Principles; The Concept And Basis of Criminal Responsibility; Comparative Sources of Criminal Law
Unit 4: The Comparative Sources of Criminal Law in Jurisdictions (Nigeria, Ghana, India, Sudan Respectively) · 2 hours
Discuss the relevance of criminal law. Explain how criminal law protects human life, property, morality, and the state. Compare sources of criminal law across jurisdictions.
- Week 5Module 2: Murder and Its Elements
Unit 1: Murder · 2 hours
Identify acts of prosecution of unlawful purpose. Explain the position of murder in Nigeria, Ghana and India. Discuss the elements of the crime of murder.
- Week 6Module 2: Murder and Its Elements
Unit 2: Actus Reus (AR) · 2 hours
Explain the different definitions of actus reus. Explain how the elements of actus reus differ across jurisdictions. Discuss the importance of actus reus in criminal law.
- Week 7Module 2: Murder and Its Elements
Unit 3: Mens Rea (MR) · 2 hours
Analyze the shift in establishing mens rea. Explain the test for the existence of mens rea. Discuss intention, knowledge, recklessness, and objective fault.
- Week 8Module 3: Distinctions on Murder and Manslaughter
Unit 1: Manslaughter · 2 hours
Differentiate between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. Discuss the punishment for manslaughter. Explain the elements of manslaughter.
- Week 9Module 3: Distinctions on Murder and Manslaughter
Unit 2: The Distinction between Voluntary and Involuntary Manslaughter · 2 hours
Identify when a killing constitutes manslaughter. Compare the distinction between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. Discuss mitigating circumstances.
- Week 10Module 3: Distinctions on Murder and Manslaughter
Unit 3: Criticism and Distinction on the Offence of Murder and Manslaughter · 2 hours
Explain the distinction and relationship between murder and manslaughter. Prove that the sentence depends on jurisdiction and court evaluations. Discuss the moral implications of each offence.
- Week 11Module 3: Distinctions on Murder and Manslaughter
Unit 4: Provisions on the Punishment of the Offences · 2 hours
Discuss the punishment for murder and manslaughter. Explain the exceptions to the death penalty. Compare punishments across different jurisdictions.
- Week 12Module 4: Strict Liability and Other Offences
Unit 1: Concept of Strict Liability · 2 hours
Explain the concept of strict liability. Discuss the applicability of strict liability in criminal cases. State the arguments for and against strict liability.
Unit 2: Rape · 2 hours
Define rape. State the various jurisdictions' views on rape. Distinguish rape from other forms of indecent assault.
- Week 13Module 4: Strict Liability and Other Offences
Unit 3: Other Sexual Offences · 2 hours
State the laws regulating sexual offences. Describe the ingredients of assault. Discuss the gravity of sexual offences in various jurisdictions.
Preparing for the exam
- Review key definitions of criminal responsibility from Unit 1
- Create comparative charts of murder and manslaughter elements (Units 5-7)
- Practice applying defenses (Units 11-13) to hypothetical scenarios
- Focus on case laws from Nigeria, Ghana, and India
- Allocate study time evenly across all modules
Questions students ask about this course
What is PUL805 about?
This course focuses on criminal responsibility, elements of offences, and available defenses, taking a comparative approach across jurisdictions like Nigeria, Ghana, and India. It explores the concept, content, and basis of criminal responsibility, addressing offenses such as murder and manslaughter. The course also examines strict liability and sexual offenses, providing a comprehensive understanding of criminal law principles and their application in different legal systems. Students will analyze legal standards, case laws, and statutory provisions to evaluate criminal responsibility and defenses.
How many units does PUL805 have?
PUL805, Comparative Criminal Law I, has 19 units across 5 modules, over 105 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is PUL805?
PUL805 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Law.
Is PUL805 hard?
PUL805 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does PUL805 take to study?
About 26 hours of study, spread across its 19 units.
How is PUL805 assessed?
PUL805 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with PUL805?
Law Enforcement, Legal Counsel, Judiciary, Paralegal and Criminal Investigator.