LAW 3520 - Sentencing and Criminal Justice

Sentencing is the process by which criminal penalties are imposed on an individual found guilty of a criminal offence. The type and severity of penalties available for imposition involve significant value judgments. The course will cover sentencing theory; the history of Australian sentencing; and current South Australian sentencing legislation, and the law and order policy informing it. It may include guest presenters. A selection of additional topics will be drawn from areas such as mandatory vs discretionary sentencing; plea 'bargaining'; the role of the victim in the criminal justice system and sentencing; therapeutic and restorative justice; principles for sentencing Aboriginal offenders; principles for sentencing juvenile offenders; media representations and reporting; sentencing and criminology theories; control orders and preventative detention.