VCE – Legal Studies
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
UNIT 1: GUILT AND LIABILITY •
By undertaking Legal Studies, in Units 1 and 2, students are exposed to the processes of law-making as a response to the transformation of societal values in the Australian community to make it more culturally inclusive. They develop an awareness of the impact that the Criminal Justice System has upon citizens’ lives, and therefore their own futures. The study will create a lens for them to explore how law enforcement impacts behaviour in the community through criminal law, all the way to their own personal exposure to contractual obligations in the occupational world. Students will be encouraged to analyse the function of law-enforcing institutions and understand the balance with individual rights and powers, allowing them to learn of their own personal legal obligations and responsibilities. In Units 3 and 4, Legal Studies teaches students to applying knowledge of legal concepts and principles to a range of actual and hypothetical scenarios, students develop their ability to use legal reasoning to argue a case for or against a party in a civil or criminal matter. They consider and recent and recommended reforms to the criminal and civil justice systems, and engage in an analysis of the extent to which our legal institutions are effective and our justice system achieves the principles of justice.
Outcome 1: Legal Foundations Outcome 2: The Presumption of innocence
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Outcome 3: Civil liabilities
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Students learn about the 2 key branches of our justice system: Criminal law and civil law. Amongst this, the study will explore certain ideas such as: o How an effective law must reflect society’s values. o The age of criminal responsibility. o Types of crime: against people vs. property. o Two types of criminal offences and possible defences for these crimes. o Two types of civil torts and their elements to determine liability. Both Criminal and Civil law exist to protect members of a society by empowering them, and the state to deliver penalties and seek retribution. Students will be exposed to: o Institutions which impose penalties and sanctions. o The role of a jury during criminal trials. o The types of sanctions: fines, CCOs and imprisonment. o The protection of human rights in Australia. o The Australian Constitution and the Human Rights Charter.
UNIT 2: SANCTIONS, REMEDIES & RIGHTS • Outcome 1: Sanctions • Outcome 2: Remedies • Outcome 3: Rights •
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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