Criminal Law & Criminal Justice: An Introduction

241 Pages·2009·2.88 MB·English

by  Noel Cross

Cross-3915-Prelims:Cross-3915-Prelims.qxp 03/11/2009 3:41 PM Page i
Criminal Law &
Criminal Justice
Cross-3915-Prelims:Cross-3915-Prelims.qxp 03/11/2009 3:41 PM Page ii
Cross-3915-Prelims:Cross-3915-Prelims.qxp 03/11/2009 3:41 PM Page iii
Criminal Law &
Criminal Justice
An Introduction
Noel Cross
Cross-3915-Prelims:Cross-3915-Prelims.qxp 03/11/2009 3:41 PM Page iv
©NoelCross2010
Firstpublished2010
Apartfromanyfairdealingforthepurposesofresearchorprivate
study,orcriticismorreview,aspermittedundertheCopyright,
DesignsandPatentsAct,1988,thispublicationmaybereproduced,
storedortransmittedinanyform,orbyanymeans,onlywiththe
priorpermissioninwritingofthepublishers,orinthecaseof
reprographicreproduction,inaccordancewiththetermsoflicences
issuedbytheCopyrightLicensingAgency. Enquiriesconcerning
reproductionoutsidethosetermsshouldbesenttothepublishers.
SAGEPublicationsLtd
1Oliver’sYard
55CityRoad
LondonEC1Y1SP
SAGEPublicationsInc.
2455TellerRoad
ThousandOaks,California91320
SAGEPublicationsIndiaPvtLtd
B1/I1MohanCooperativeIndustrialArea
MathuraRoad
NewDelhi110044
SAGEPublicationsAsia-PacificPteLtd
33PekinStreet#02-01
FarEastSquare
Singapore048763
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2009924975
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationdata
Acataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefrom
theBritishLibrary
ISBN978-1-84787-086-5
ISBN978-1-84787-087-2(pbk)
TypesetbyC&MDigitals(P)Ltd,Chennai,India
PrintedinGreatBritainbyTJInternational,Padstow,Cornwall
Printedonpaperfromsustainableresources
SSGGSS 22448822
Cross-3915-Prelims:Cross-3915-Prelims.qxp 03/11/2009 3:41 PM Page v
Contents
Acknowledgements vi
PART ONE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LAW 1
1 Introduction 3
2 Actus reus 15
3 Mens rea 32
4 General defences in the criminal law 49
5 Alternative forms of criminal liability 69
PARTTWO SPECIFIC CRIMINAL OFFENCES 95
6 Non-fatal assaults 97
7 Sexual offences 117
8 Homicide 134
9 Property offences 154
PARTTHREE CONCLUSIONS 179
10 Conclusions 181
Glossary of common legal terms 191
Tables of cases 194
Tables of statutes 203
References 205
Index 219
Cross-3915-Prelims:Cross-3915-Prelims.qxp 03/11/2009 3:41 PM Page vi
Acknowledgements
Many thanks go to my parents, my colleagues on the Criminal Justice team at
LiverpoolJohnMooresUniversity,andCarolinePorteratSagefortheirhelpand
encouragementalongthelongandwindingroadfromdevelopingtheideaforthe
book to publication.The book is dedicated to Helen Paton,for her constant love
and support during the time in which it was put together.
Cross-3915-Ch-01:Cross Sample.qxp 03/11/2009 3:42 PM Page 1
Part One
General principles of criminal law
Cross-3915-Ch-01:Cross Sample.qxp 03/11/2009 3:42 PM Page 2
Cross-3915-Ch-01:Cross Sample.qxp 03/11/2009 3:42 PM Page 3
1
Introduction
Chapter Overview
Introductionandrationale:whystudycriminal
lawifyou’reacriminologyorcriminaljusticestudent? 3
Criminallaw:whatisit? 4
Criminaljustice:whatisit? 8
Whatisthecriminallawtherefor? 11
Whatiscriminaljusticetherefor? 12
Conclusions:aguidetothestructureofthebook 13
Furtherreading 14
ChapterAims
AfterreadingChapter1youshouldbeabletounderstand:
•
Thebasicprinciplesofcriminallaw
•
Thebasicprinciplesofcriminaljustice
•
Thekeytheorieswhichtrytoexplainwhatthecriminallawdoes
•
Thekeytheorieswhichtrytoexplainwhatcriminaljusticedoes
•
Whichindividualsandgroupsofpeopleplayaroleincriminaljustice
•
Howcrimeissociallyconstructed,andwhatthismeans
Introduction and rationale: why study criminal law
if you’re a criminology or criminal justice student?
ThisbookisaboutcriminallawinEnglandandWales,andthedifferencebetween
thecriminallawasitisdefinedinlawbooks,andthecriminallawasitisusedby
agencies in the criminal justice process.It is designed to show not only how the
current law defines criminal behaviour, but also how people and organisations
workingincriminaljusticeuseandinterpretthatlawintheapproachestheytake
to responding to crime in practice.
One answer to the question in the section title above is simple – without
criminal law there would be no crime and no criminology (Nelken 1987)! It is