Australian Criminal Laws Critical Perspectives

by McSherry, Bernadette; Naylor, Bronwyn

• ISBN13: 9780195507904
• ISBN10: 0195507908
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-06-17
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Australian Criminal Laws: Critical Perspectives provides a critical understading of criminal laws. The general "principles of criminal law" have traditionally been viewed as authoritatively set out or "posited" without reference to their historical and social context. This book moves beyondthat approach and through the use of detailed case studies, the foundations of criminal laws are placed in their broad context. The law relating to serious criminal offences and defenced in Australia is described and analysed to offer critical perspectives on the law's development and operation, andto highlight law reform issues. Australian Criminal Laws: Critical Perspectives provides a major contribution to contemporary criminal law literature that will be of interest to scholars of the criminal law and criminology as well as to undergraduate and postgraduate students in those disciplines. It gives criminologists anunderstanding of current criminal laws and criminal lawyers an understanding of the law's social context.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Table of Cases	xv
Table of Statutes	xxxv
Part 1 Introduction	1	(86)
1 Defining criminal laws	3	(46)
Introduction	3	(1)
Defining crime: differing perspectives	4	(13)
Realism	6	(2)
Critical legal studies and critical criminology	8	(3)
Postmodemism	11	(1)
Feminist theories	12	(3)
Critical race theory	15	(1)
Critical perspectives in this book	16	(1)
Aims of the criminal law: differing perspectives	17	(5)
Punishment	17	(1)
Prevention of harm	18	(1)
Preservation of morality	19	(2)
Social welfare	21	(1)
Measuring crime	22	(2)
Jurisdiction	24	(7)
Territorial theory	25	(2)
Terminatory theory	27	(1)
The protective approach	28	(1)
The territorial nexus/substantial link approach	29	(1)
The way ahead: the Model Criminal Code	30	(1)
Individual and corporate criminal responsibility	31	(7)
Reason and rationality in the criminal law	38	(10)
Legal reasoning and rationality	39	(1)
The rational actor	40	(6)
Mental illness	41	(1)
Children	41	(5)
The reasonable man	46	(2)
Conclusion	48	(1)
2 Structuring criminal law	49	(38)
Introduction	49	(1)
Offences	50	(1)
Defences	51	(7)
Justification and excuse	53	(1)
The burden of proof and defences	54	(4)
The evidential burden	55	(1)
The legal burden	56	(1)
The main exceptions	56	(2)
Elements of 'serious' crimes	58	(7)
Strict and absolute liability offences	61	(2)
Subjective versus objective fault	63	(2)
Physical elements	65	(4)
Voluntary conduct	66	(1)
Acts and omissions	66	(3)
Fault elements	69	(10)
Intention	69	(5)
General or basic intention	70	(1)
Specific intention	71	(1)
Oblique intention	72	(2)
Intention and motive	74	(1)
Knowledge and recklessness	74	(2)
The role of wilful blindness	76	(1)
Negligence	77	(2)
Concurrence of physical and fault elements	79	(2)
Causation	81	(4)
Conclusion	85	(2)
Part 2 Offences against the person	87	(162)
3 Homicide	89	(63)
Introduction	89	(6)
Murder and manslaughter-physical elements	95	(11)
Background	95	(2)
The current law	97	(7)
Death of a human being	98	(1)
Causation of death	99	(5)
Critique	104	(2)
Murder-fault elements	106	(9)
Background	106	(1)
The current law	107	(5)
Intention to kill	108	(1)
Intention to cause grievous bodily harm	109	(1)
Recklessness as to causing death or grievous bodily harm	109	(1)
Transferred malice	110	(2)
Critique	112	(3)
Constructive murder	115	(4)
Background	115	(1)
The current law	116	(2)
Constructive murder	116	(2)
Escape murder	118	(1)
Critique	118	(1)
Manslaughter	119	(33)
Background	119	(2)
The current law-gross or criminal negligence manslaughter	121	(1)
Critique	122	(2)
The current law-negligent omissions	124	(2)
Critique	126	(1)
The current law-unlawful and dangerous act manslaughter	127	(2)
Unlawful	128	(1)
Dangerous	129	(1)
Critique	129	(2)
Euthanasia	131	(6)
Background	131	(1)
The current law	132	(1)
Voluntary euthanasia	132	(1)
Non-voluntary euthanasia	133	(1)
Critique	134	(3)
Offences relating to childbirth	137	(7)
Background	137	(1)
The current law	138	(1)
Abortion	139	(1)
Child destruction	140	(1)
Infanticide	141	(1)
Critique	142	(2)
Corporate homicide	144	(7)
Background	144	(3)
The current law	147	(1)
Critique	148	(3)
Conclusion	151	(1)
4 Assault and related offences	152	(51)
Introduction	152	(3)
Assault	155	(16)
Background	155	(3)
The current law-physical elements	158	(5)
Assault by the threat of force	158	(1)
Assault by the use of force	159	(1)
Aggravated assaults	160	(1)
Assaults with intention to commit another crime	160	(1)
Assaults on particular classes of people	160	(1)
Assaults resulting in harm	161	(2)
Female genital mutilation	163	(1)
Critique	163	(4)
Assaults by the threat of force	164	(2)
Factors of aggravation	166	(1)
The current law-fault elements	167	(3)
Critique	170	(1)
Threats and stalking	171	(5)
Background	171	(2)
The current law	173	(1)
Critique	174	(2)
Offences endangering life or personal safety	176	(5)
Background	176	(2)
The current law	178	(1)
Critique	179	(2)
Lawful assaults and consent	181	(4)
Background	181	(1)
Lawful assaults	181	(1)
The current law	182	(3)
The use of reasonable force	182	(1)
Defences to assault	183	(2)
Critique	185	(3)
The use of reasonable force	185	(3)
Defences to assault	188	(1)
Consent	188	(2)
The current law	190	(8)
Personal adornment	191	(1)
Surgery	192	(1)
Rough horseplay and violent sports	193	(1)
Sadomasochism	194	(2)
Female genital mutilation	196	(1)
Indigenous customary law	197	(1)
Critique	198	(4)
Sports violence	198	(1)
Female genital mutilation	198	(1)
Indigenous customary law	199	(1)
Sadomasochism	200	(2)
Conclusion	202	(1)
5 Sexual assault	203	(46)
Introduction	203	(3)
Rape and indecent assault	206	(22)
Background	206	(1)
The current law-physical elements	207	(4)
Sexual intercourse/indecent assault	207	(2)
Without consent	209	(2)
Critique	211	(11)
The social context of consent	211	(9)
Fraud and consent	220	(2)
The current law fault elements	222	(3)
Intention and recklessness	222	(2)
A mistaken belief in consent	224	(1)
Critique	225	(3)
Sexual offences against children and young people	228	(10)
Background	228	(2)
The current law	230	(3)
Critique	233	(5)
The age of consent	233	(1)
Defences	234	(2)
Overlap between offences	236	(2)
Sexual offences against individuals with mental impairment	238	(8)
Background	238	(2)
The current law	240	(2)
Critique	242	(4)
Conclusion	246	(3)
Part 3 Property offences	249	(122)
6 Property offences involving stealing	251	(82)
Introduction	251	(9)
Theft	260	(48)
Background	260	(3)
Physical elements	263	(15)
Property	263	(5)
Belonging to another	268	(4)
Taking or appropriating the property	272	(6)
Critique-physical elements	278	(5)
Property the subject of theft	278	(2)
Property belonging to another	280	(1)
The meaning of appropriation	281	(2)
The current law fault elements	283	(12)
Intention to permanently deprive	283	(5)
Acting dishonestly	288	(7)
Critique-fault elements	295	(13)
The meaning of dishonesty	295	(12)
The requirement of intent to permanently deprive	307	(1)
Robbery	308	(11)
The current law: physical elements	309	(5)
Steals	309	(1)
Uses force/violence	310	(2)
Threatens violence/seeks to put any person in fear of immediate force	312	(1)
Immediately before, after or at the time of stealing	313	(1)
The current law fault elements	314	(1)
Critique the law of robbery	315	(1)
Degree of force or violence	315	(1)
Timing of the use of force	315	(1)
Nature of the threats	316	(1)
Armed/aggravated robbery	316	(2)
Critique-armed robbery	318	(1)
Burglary	319	(12)
Background	319	(3)
The current law physical elements	322	(4)
Entry	322	(1)
Entry as a trespasser	323	(2)
Entry to a building or part of a building	325	(1)
The current law fault elements	326	(2)
With intent to commit another offence	326	(2)
Critique the law of burglary	328	(1)
Aggravated burglary	329	(1)
Critique-aggravated burglary	330	(1)
Conclusion	331	(2)
7 Property offences involving deception	333	(38)
Introduction	333	(5)
Obtaining property by deception	338	(19)
Background	338	(1)
The current law-physical elements	339	(5)
Deception	339	(2)
Obtains	341	(2)
Property	343	(1)
Belonging to another	344	(1)
Critique physical elements	344	(2)
Obtaining by deception	344	(2)
Fault elements	346	(2)
Intention to permanently deprive	346	(1)
Dishonesty	346	(2)
Critique-fault elements	348	(1)
Intention to permanently deprive	348	(1)
Dishonesty	348	(1)
Obtaining a financial advantage by deception	349	(4)
Background	349	(2)
The current law-physical elements	351	(1)
Deception	351	(1)
Obtains	351	(1)
Financial advantage	352	(1)
Critique physical element	353	(3)
The meaning of 'financial advantage'	353	(3)
The current law fault element	356	(1)
Dishonesty	356	(1)
Critique fault element	357	(1)
Should fraud and theft be separate offences?	357	(3)
Computer fraud	360	(4)
Background	360	(1)
The current law	361	(1)
Critique	362	(2)
Offences involving corporations	364	(3)
Background	364	(1)
The current law	365	(1)
Critique	365	(2)
Conclusion	367	(4)
Part 4 Extending criminal responsibility	371	(96)
8 Inchoate offences	373	(51)
Introduction	373	(3)
Attempts	376	(12)
Background	376	(4)
The current law-physical elements	380	(4)
Critique	384	(1)
The current law-fault element	385	(2)
Critique	387	(1)
Conspiracy	388	(20)
Background	388	(3)
The current law-physical elements	391	(8)
The agreement	393	(3)
Agreement between two or more persons	396	(2)
The unlawful act	398	(1)
Critique	399	(4)
The current law-fault element	403	(3)
Critique	406	(2)
Incitement	408	(5)
Background	408	(1)
The current law-physical element	409	(1)
Critique	410	(2)
The current law-fault element	412	(1)
Critique	412	(1)
Impossibility	413	(9)
Background	413	(1)
The current law	414	(5)
Attempts	415	(1)
Conspiracy	416	(2)
Incitement	418	(1)
Critique	419	(3)
Conclusion	422	(2)
9 Complicity	424	(43)
Introduction	424	(4)
Principal offenders and acting in concert	428	(6)
Background	428	(1)
The current law	428	(4)
Critique	432	(2)
Innocent agency	434	(3)
Background	434	(1)
The current law	434	(2)
Critique	436	(1)
Accessorial liability	437	(16)
Background	437	(1)
The current law-definitions and physical elements	438	(3)
Critique	441	(7)
Mere presence, omissions and supplying goods and advice	442	(3)
Withdrawal by an accessory	445	(3)
The current law-fault elements	448	(2)
Assisting and encouraging crime	448	(2)
Accessories after the fact	450	(1)
Critique	450	(3)
The doctrine of common purpose	453	(9)
Background	453	(4)
The current law	457	(3)
Critique	460	(2)
Conclusion	462	(5)
Part 5 Defences	467	(1)
10 Self-defence and provocation	469	(114)
Introduction	469	(3)
Self-defence	472	(12)
Background	472	(1)
The current law	473	(2)
Critique	475	(9)
Excessive self-defence	475	(3)
Women's reactions to violence	478	(4)
Subjective/objective elements	482	(2)
Provocation	484	(17)
Background	484	(2)
The current law	486	(9)
Provocative conduct	486	(2)
The accused's loss of self-control	488	(2)
The ordinary person test	490	(5)
Critique	495	(12)
Characteristics of the ordinary person	495	(2)
Should there be an ordinary person test?	497	(2)
Should there be a defence of provocation at all?	499	(2)
Conclusion	501	(1)
11 Mental state defences	502	(1)
Introduction	502	(5)
Mental impairment and involuntary conduct	507	(10)
Background	507	(1)
The current law	508	(6)
The internal cause theory of insane automatism	511	(1)
The continuing danger theory	512	(1)
The sound/unsound mind theory	512	(2)
Critique	514	(3)
Mental impairment and unintentional conduct	517	(4)
Background	517	(1)
The current law	518	(2)
Critique	520	(1)
Intoxication	521	(9)
Background	521	(2)
The current law	523	(3)
Critique	526	(4)
The defence of mental impairment	530	(10)
Background	530	(1)
The current law	531	(7)
Internal causes of mental impairment	531	(4)
The effect of the mental impairment on understanding	535	(2)
The effect of the mental impairment on volition	537	(1)
Critique	538	(2)
Diminished responsibility	540	(6)
Background	540	(1)
The current law	541	(3)
Abnormality of mind	542	(1)
Cause of the abnormality of mind	542	(1)
Effect of the abnormality of mind	543	(1)
Critique	544	(2)
Infanticide	546	(5)
Background	546	(2)
The current law	548	(1)
Critique	548	(3)
Conclusion	551	(2)
12 Defences based on external pressures	553	(1)
Introduction	553	(2)
Duress and marital coercion	555	(15)
Background	555	(4)
The current law	559	(6)
Threats of the infliction of death or grievous bodily harm	560	(4)
The objective element	564	(1)
Critique	565	(5)
Elements of the defence	565	(3)
Should duress be available to a charge of murder?	568	(1)
Should marital coercion exist?	569	(1)
Necessity	570	(12)
Background	570	(3)
The current law	573	(4)
The nature of the emergency	574	(1)
The accused's belief	575	(1)
The objective component	576	(1)
Critique	577	(5)
The elements of the defence	577	(2)
Should necessity be available to a charge of murder?	579	(3)
Conclusion	582	(1)
Bibliography	583	(29)
Index	612