Subjects:

Other Jurisdictions

Contents:

Substantive Crimes

Assault and Related Offences

Sexual Offences

Murder

Manslaughter

Property Offences: the Common Law

Property Offences: the Theft Act

Drug Offences

General Doctrines

Attempts

Participation in Crime

Necessity, Duress, Superior Orders and Coercion

Mistake and Strict Liability

Insanity and Related Defences

The Defence of Intoxication

No area of law is more important, or raises questions of more fundamental difficulty, than that which stigmatises certain types of conduct as 'criminal'. This book is designed to fulfil three functions: an introductory text; a collection of cases and statutory materials; and a detailed commentary.

Significant cases are extracted and relevant statutory materials are reproduced as background and support. Commentary, which aims to explore complexities and to stimulate thought, links the case, the law as it stands and the principles of morality which are the basis of the criminal law.

For the 10th edition, the authors have rewritten the commentary and completely updated case and statutory material to incorporate judicial and legislative changes since 2001. As with previous editions, the book is intended to be equally useful in each of the common law states. Variations in the law from one state to another are fully explained and discussed.

As well as dealing with the criminal law today, the book examines proposals for change and suggests ways in which this crucial area of the law may develop in the future. Although written primarily for students, the work will also be useful to practitioners.