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Review Exercises

State Library of New South Wales – HSC Legal Studies links for Crime

One of the most useful ways for you to assess your understanding of Crime is to revisit the Themes and Challenges which are to be incorporated throughout this topic as set out in Part 2. You will note that these themes raise issues which require you to bring a depth of content knowledge and an analytical approach to address the demands of this topic. It would be helpful for you to not just think about these themes but to also explicitly apply your understanding of the issues that they raise.

Use the following questions as a summative revision exercise:

1. Explain and assess the role of discretion in the criminal justice system.
   
   
2. Explain the issues which impact upon whether an individual will comply or not comply with the criminal law.
   
   
3. To what extent does the criminal law reflect the moral and ethical standards of society?
   
   
4. With reference to specific examples, explain the role of law reform in the criminal justice system?
   
   
5. How effectively does the law balance the rights of victims, offenders and society?
   
   
6. How effective are legal and non-legal measures in achieving justice?

Revising past HSC papers

When reviewing past HSC papers, as referred to under Principal focus you must be mindful that the structure and some of the content related to how the Crime component of the course will be examined has changed.
From 2011 on, Crime will be examined as 15 multiple choice questions, which may refer to a stimulus, and one extended response question worth 15 marks. The suggested length of this response is 600 words. As with the multiple choice questions, this question may refer to a stimulus. The extended response question requires you to demonstrate depth of understanding through for example, making judgements about the effectiveness of various aspects of criminal law. Coming to terms with the Themes and Challenges outlined on page 17 of the syllabus will assist you in applying their content knowledge to analysis style questions.

Further, you should use the syllabus dot points as a check list to make sure that you have developed an understanding of all aspects of course content. The organisation of the new syllabus into learn about and learn to statements makes this a straight forward task.

Finally, as stressed above under Principal Focus and as prescribed in the syllabus the main focus of student understanding for crime should be on:

1. Gaining an understanding of criminal law, processes and institutions;
   
   And
   
   
2. Gaining an understanding of the tension between community interests and individual rights and freedoms in the context of the crime.

To aid this process you need to be active. Ensure that you understand the terminology used in the syllabus and stay up to date with new developments in Criminal Law. Regularly refer to one of the online glossaries provided to enhance understanding. Read the newspaper, watch the news, get online and see what is happening.