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Criminal Law and Justice Systems (2026/2027: Semester 2 – Summer)
Cursusdoel
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explain the basic principles of substantive criminal law, including the elements of a crime (actus reus and mens rea) and the role of legal justifications and excuses in excluding criminal liability.
- Identify and describe the main actors and institutions within the criminal justice system, including police, prosecutors, defence counsel, courts, and correctional bodies.
- Outline and analyse the procedural stages through which an accused person moves within the criminal justice process, from investigation to sentencing and appeal.
- Discuss how different societies address criminal behaviour through formal and informal mechanisms of justice, including comparative perspectives on legal traditions and social responses to crime.
- Evaluate and debate various sentencing options and the purposes of punishment (retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, incapacitation, and restoration) within the criminal justice system.
- Participate actively in class discussions and written assignments, demonstrating the ability to apply criminal law principles clearly and communicate legal arguments in a structured and persuasive manner
Relationship between assessment and course goals:
In this course, the final course grade is based on four elements: participation (individual), class, assignments (individual) one position paper (individual), and a simulation (group).
In this course, the final course grade is based on four elements: participation (individual), class, assignments (individual) one position paper (individual), and a simulation (group).
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- Participation 4-6
- Presentations 1-3, 6
- Exam 1 1-3, 5
- Moot court 1, 5-6
Vakinhoudelijk
This course aims to introduce students to the foundational principles of criminal law and the operation of criminal justice systems within a broader social, political, and comparative context. Rather than approaching criminal law purely as a technical body of rules, the course invites students to examine how societies define crime, attribute responsibility, and justify punishment. Students will explore the core elements of criminal liability alongside the institutional structures and actors that shape the administration of justice. By situating legal doctrine within criminological, historical, and socio-legal perspectives, the course encourages students to reflect critically on how justice systems function in practice and how they respond to issues of inequality, power, and social harm.
The course challenges students to distinguish between legal reasoning and broader moral or policy arguments, and to consider how different societies balance accountability, rights protection, and social order. Through discussion-based learning and engagement with case studies and academic literature, students will develop the ability to analyse, debate, and communicate complex ideas about crime and justice in a clear and thoughtful manner. Overall, the course aims to foster both doctrinal understanding and critical reflection, equipping students with the intellectual tools to engage meaningfully with contemporary debates about crime, punishment, and justice.
The course challenges students to distinguish between legal reasoning and broader moral or policy arguments, and to consider how different societies balance accountability, rights protection, and social order. Through discussion-based learning and engagement with case studies and academic literature, students will develop the ability to analyse, debate, and communicate complex ideas about crime and justice in a clear and thoughtful manner. Overall, the course aims to foster both doctrinal understanding and critical reflection, equipping students with the intellectual tools to engage meaningfully with contemporary debates about crime, punishment, and justice.
Format
This course meets four times per week, and class time will consist of a combination of lecture, student presentations, and class discussion. Students are expected to have completed the assigned readings and to actively engage in class exercises and discourse. During the semester each student will prepare and give a class presentation on a current event or issue in criminal law or criminal justice. Additionally, students will complete a mid-term and final exam.
This course meets four times per week, and class time will consist of a combination of lecture, student presentations, and class discussion. Students are expected to have completed the assigned readings and to actively engage in class exercises and discourse. During the semester each student will prepare and give a class presentation on a current event or issue in criminal law or criminal justice. Additionally, students will complete a mid-term and final exam.
Werkvormen
UCU SSC 1 course
Toetsing
Participation & attendance
Verplicht | Weging 10% | ECTS 0,75
Presentations (group)
Verplicht | Weging 20% | ECTS 1,5
Exam
Verplicht | Weging 35% | ECTS 2,63
Moot Court
Verplicht | Weging 35% | ECTS 2,63
Ingangseisen en voorkennis
Ingangseisen
Er is geen informatie over verplichte ingangseisen bekend.
Voorkennis
Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.
Voertalen
- Engels
Cursusmomenten
Gerelateerde studies
Tentamens
Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus
Verplicht materiaal
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BOEKFrancis Pakes, Comparative Criminal Justice, Routlegde, 5th edition 2024
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DIVERSEArticles assigned are available on Google Scholar or the UU library website.
Aanbevolen materiaal
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BOEKJocelyn Pollock, Criminal Law (Routlegde, 12th edition 2021) Jonathan Herring, Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials (OUP, 12th, 2026)
Coördinator
| dr. D.I. Odier-Contreras Garduno | d.i.odier-contrerasgarduno@uu.nl |
Docenten
| dr. D.I. Odier-Contreras Garduno | d.i.odier-contrerasgarduno@uu.nl |
Inschrijving
Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.
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