LAW-30094 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Transnational crime has become an important policy issue in the contemporary world. Every country is affected one way or another and criminal groups accumulate massive profits by providing illicit goods and services such as drugs and human beings. There are other crimes, including terrorism and cyber crime, which have become more serious and dangerous in modern time. While globalisation has brought about many positive changes, it has simultaneously made it easier for criminals to operate internationally. These criminals also employ sophisticated techniques to avoid law enforcement. All of these require national governments to be creative and implement more effective measures.
The purpose of this module is to twofold. First, we will explore some of the most serious transnational crimes in the contemporary world such as illicit cycle of narcotics (production, trafficking and consumption), human/organ trafficking, cyber crimes, and terrorism. Second, we will consider various ways to combat these crimes which go beyond simple criminal justice responses, paying particular attention to the supply and demand dynamics. In this regard, wider social, cultural and human rights dimensions will be examined.
The module is based on the seminar-style, interactive teaching where student take the lead role in facilitating class discussions. It will be assessed through a coursework essay of 4,000 words (100%)

To help students:
1) understand the nature and extent of some of the major crimes from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
2) understand the nature of illegal markets and the modus operandi of criminals and criminal groups.
3) identify and critically analyse the key legal frameworks to address transnational crimes at national, regional and international levels.
4) identify and critically analyse the major law enforcement and other responses to transnational crimes at the national, regional and international levels.
5) explore some of the effective ways to address transnational crimes.

Intended Learning Outcomes

identify relevant primary and secondary, legal and non-legal materials, relating to transnational crimes through library and online database such as WestLaw and LexixNexis, as well as other internet sources: 1
organise and conduct effective research on transnational crimes
: 1
1
synthesise and critically analyse these materials: critically evaluate the legal and policy responses towards transnational crimes: 1
identify and explore the limits of criminal law and criminal justice in tackling transnational crime: 1

Study hours

Seminars 10 x 2 hours - 20 hours
Seminar Preparation Hours with directed tasks (such as key sources reading, research, presentation prep.) - 70 hours
Research for an assessed essay - 30 hours
Writing an assessed essay - 30 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment