LL108 One Unit
Criminal Law
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah
Availability
This course is compulsory on the BA in Anthropology and Law and LLB in Laws. This course is available on the Erasmus Reciprocal Programme of Study and Exchange Programme for Students from University of California, Berkeley. This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course is freely available to General Course students. It does not require permission.
Course content
The course examines the 'general part' of criminal law and selected areas of the special part of criminal law in the context of theories of the aims and functions of criminalisation. The course will discuss the limits to criminalisation; the conceptual framework of criminal liability (conduct, responsibility, capacity, defences); homicide; sexual offences; non-fatal violence against the person; property offences (with particular reference to theft, fraud, robbery and burglary); secondary participation in crime; inchoate offences; and regulatory offences.
Teaching
20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the Winter Term.
9 hours of classes and 16 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn and Winter Term.
Formative assessment
A minimum of two pieces of written work will be required (one per term), usually one essay and one problem question.
Indicative reading
A detailed reading list will be distributed at the start of the course. A number of criminal law textbooks are available, and students will be expected to read the relevant parts of the most recent editions of one of these, e.g. Nicola Lacey, Oliver Quick & Celia Wells, Reconstructing Criminal Law; Jeremy Horder, Ashworth's Principles of Criminal Law; Jonathan Herring, Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials; M. Allen, Introduction to Criminal Law. They will also be expected to read all cases and materials marked as essential on the reading lists provided.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 180 Minutes, reading time: 15 minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: LSE Law School
Course Study Period: Autumn and Winter Term
Unit value: One unit
FHEQ Level: Level 4
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 199
Average class size 2024/25: 14
Capped 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Communication
- Specialist skills