Undergraduate Module Descriptor

LAW3168: Criminal Justice and Evidence

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

  • Nature & objectives of the criminal justice system
  • The HRA 1998 and criminal justice
  • Stop & search powers
  • Powers of arrest
  • Detention and Interrogation
  • The right to silence at the police station
  • Unlawfully obtained evidence
  • Confessions and confession evidence
  • Obtaining Identification Evidence
  • Prosecution Decisions/Alternatives to prosecution
  • Bail: Police and Court
  • Legal Aid
  • Prosecution and defence disclosure
  • Summary Justice
  • Jury Trial
  • Burden of Proof
  • Examination in Chief and Cross-Examination
  • Hearsay
  • Character
  • Corroboration
  • Sentencing & Appeals from Crown Court
  • Miscarriages of Justice
  • Abuse of Process, Civil Remedies and CCRC

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
552450

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity4623 x 2 hour lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity96 x 1.5 hour workshops
Guided Independent Study120Individual reading and lecture preparation
Guided Independent Study35Workshop preparation
Guided Independent Study80Assessment preparation
Guided Independent Study10Formative assessment

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Essay plan 1750 words1-7Comments and individual feedback
Essay plan 2750 words1-7Comments and individual feedback

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Essay 1503,000 words1-7Written feedback and discussion on individual request
Essay 2503,000 words1-7Result and discussion on individual request

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Essay 1Essay (3,000 words)1-7August/September reassessment period
Essay 2Essay (3,000 words)1-7August/September reassessment period