Postgraduate Course: Transnational Organised Crime and the Law (LAWS11366)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course examines the concept of transnational organised crime and some of its different forms, like money laundering, human trafficking, drugs trafficking, and arms trafficking. It considers the international legal measures used to address these crimes. It looks at the implications for substantive laws and criminal procedure, as well as the growing use of civil measures. The course considers the legal framework in securing state cooperation in investigating and prosecuting transnational organised crime. Throughout, the doctrinal law is placed in context by the use of criminological theories and other conceptual insights.
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| Course description |
This course examines the meaning of the concept of transnational organised crime and explores some of its different forms, like money laundering, human trafficking, drugs trafficking, arms trafficking and corruption. It considers a range of international legal measures used to address these crimes. It looks at the implications for substantive laws and criminal procedure, as well as the growing use of civil measures. The course considers cross-jurisdictional responses, and examines the legal framework needed in securing state cooperation in investigating and prosecuting transnational organised crime. Throughout, the doctrinal law is placed in context by the use of criminological theories and other conceptual insights.
The core aims of the course are:
- to foster in students a critical understanding of the definitions of and process of defining ¿transnational organised crime¿
- to develop in students a critical appreciation of the interntional and transnational legal mechanisms used to deal with transnational organised crime
- to encourage the development of original and creative responses to the issues raised by transnational organised crime
Outline content
1. Introduction to Transnational Organised Crime and the Law
2. What is transnational organised crime?
3. Criminalising transnational organised crime
4. Money laundering
5. Cross-border investigations and prosecutions
6. Non-conviction based asset recovery
7. Drugs trafficking
8. Arms trafficking
9. Trafficking in human beings
10. The law in practice
Student Learning Experience
The course will be taught in discursive seminars, where the expectation is that each student contributes. The CO will encourage full participation in discussion by all students through the assessment of participation. Students will evidence and demonstrate their achievement of the intended learning outcomes through their contribution in class as well as in the written essay.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the problematic and contested nature of the definitions of ¿transnational organised crime¿
- Assess critically the range of international legal mechanisms introduced to deal with transnational organised crime
- Engage critically with the work of leading scholars in the area, as well as assessing their own written work
- Use theoretical insights to identify and explain certain trends in responding to transnational organised crime
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Reading List
The core readings are
¿ Philip Reichel & Jay Albanese (eds) Handbook of Transnational Crime and Justice
¿ J. D. McClean Transnational organized crime : a commentary on the UN Convention and its protocols
¿ Frank G. Madsen, Transnational organized crime
Further readings are included in seminar lists.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
CHARACTERISTIC 3: GENERIC COGNITIVE SKILLS
The course will engender in students the ability to
* apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to contemporary issues in transnational organised crime
* identify, conceptualise and define new and abstract problems in relation to transnational organised crime
* develop original and creative responses to the phenomena
* critically review, consolidate and extend knowledge in relation to transnational organised crime
CHARACTERISTIC 4: COMMUNICATION, ICT AND NUMERACY SKILLS
The course will require students to
* communicate to their peers and to specialists who will have different levels of knowledge/expertise
CHARACTERISTIC 5: AUTONOMY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND WORKING WITH OTHERS
The course will require students to
* exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in their work
* take responsibility for own work
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| Keywords | organised crime,criminal law,transnational crime,money laundering |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Elizabeth Campbell
Tel: (0131 6)50 2050
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Karin Bolton
Tel: (0131 6)50 2022
Email: |
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