Hong Kong Criminal Justice System

Welcome to LESM A201 Hong Kong Criminal Justice System, a middle-level, two-semester, ten- credit course developed especially for Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

This course is designed to provide you with a comprehensive introduction to the Hong Kong criminal justice system. First, it reviews the major theories of the origin of criminal law; outlines the principal methods used to measure crime; assesses the extent of crime in Hong Kong; and examines the impact of politics on the exercise of criminal justice. Second, it introduces the principal models of criminal justice and assesses the extent to which the institutions of criminal justice in Hong Kong constitute an organizational system. Third, it examines in detail the specific components of the Hong Kong criminal justice system: the Hong Kong Police Force, the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice, the criminal courts and the Correctional Services Department. And lastly, it assesses the future of criminal justice in Hong Kong.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Purpose of this Course Guide

This Course Guide tells you briefly what the course is about, what it contains, and how you can work your way through the course. It also gives you some information about tutorials and assignments. Refer to it throughout the course to help clarify important points about studying with HKMU.

This section sets out the aims and learning outcomes for LESM A201, and gives you an overview of the structure of the course.

Course aims

The overall aim of LESM A201 Hong Kong Criminal Justice System is to introduce you to the development, structure and operation of the Hong Kong criminal justice system.

Specifically, the course aims to:

• Review the major theories of the origin of criminal law; examine how researchers measure crime; assess the extent of crime in Hong Kong; and examine the role of politics and cultural values on the actual practice of criminal justice.
• Introduce the principal models of criminal justice and assess the extent to which the institutions of criminal justice in Hong Kong comprise an organizational system.
• Examine the various components of the Hong Kong criminal justice system.
• Assess the future of criminal justice in Hong Kong.

Course learning outcomes

On completing this course, you should be able to:

• Explain and discuss how scholars explain the origin of criminal law, measure crime and detect its trends, and view the relationship between politics and criminal justice (Units 1–2).
• Outline and discuss the roles and functions of the police, the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Correctional Services Department in dealing with crime and criminals in Hong Kong, and analyse how these organizations, taken together, cooperate to form an overall law enforcement presence (Units 3–6, Unit 9).
• Outline and discuss the roles and functions of the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice (Unit 7).
• Summarize and critically analyse the roles and functions of the criminal courts in Hong Kong (Unit 8).
• Assess the future of criminal justice in Hong Kong (Unit 10).

Course overview

The following chart gives a general overview of the course structure.

Note: Only four out of five of the assignments will count towards the final course mark.

You will need the following materials for LESM A201. Most of the materials will be sent to you by HKMU, but you will need to buy the textbook yourself.

Printed materials

LESM A201 consists of this Course Guide, study units, a set textbook, and supplementary readings. Please check that you have all these materials and can identify them. If any of the HKMU-produced materials are missing, contact HKMU Course Materials Distribution Office immediately. Assignments for this course will be uploaded to the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Set textbook

There is one set textbook:

Gaylord, M S, Gittings, D and Traver, H (eds) (2009) Introduction to Crime, Law and Justice in Hong Kong, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Readings

In addition to the set textbook, supplementary readings are used to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the topics discussed in the study units. As far as possible, the textbooks and supplementary readings will attempt to incorporate the most recent changes in the Hong Kong criminal justice system.

E-Library E-Reserve readings

You may be instructed to read articles in the E-Library E-Reserve. To read these items, go to the University's E-Library homepage and click on 'E-Reserve'. Log in, click 'Accept/Agree' on the Copyright Restrictions page, fill in the 'Course Code' box, and click 'Search'. Alternatively, you may access the readings via a hyperlink in the online course materials.

You will be assessed on your ability to develop a comprehensive view of the Hong Kong criminal justice system, to understand key concepts on which the criminal justice system is based, and to analyse critical issues facing the criminal justice system. The study units include self-assessment exercises that allow you to develop such abilities.

The course assessment for LESM A201 Hong Kong Criminal Justice System consists of the following two components:

• Five assignments. Only four of these will count towards your final course These assignments are designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of a study unit, or units. Each assignment carries 12.5% of the total mark. The best four of the five assignments, which together account for 50% of the total course mark, are the course work component of the course assessment.
  Each assignment consists of an essay of about 1,500 words requiring you to formulate an opinion and test it against data given in the course. The assignments are designed to enable you to gain experience in applying knowledge and analytical skills gained in the course.
  For distribution of assignments in relation to units, see the course overview above. You will find more information about the assignments in your Assignment File (available on the OLE).
• A final examination that you will take at the end of the It carries 50% of the total course mark.
  The examination will be three hours long and has a value of 50% of the total course grade. It aims to test your knowledge of the Hong Kong criminal justice system and your ability to think critically about various aspects of the criminal justice system according to the concepts and issues covered in the course. The examination consists of five essay-type questions, and you will be required to answer any four. All questions carry equal marks. The exact format of the exam paper will be determined by the Course Coordinator, and relevant information will be released to you in due course.

Tutors and tutorials

There are regular tutorials and day schools to offer you appropriate support in your study of LESM A201 Hong Kong Criminal Justice System.

HKMU will notify you of the dates, times and location of these tutorials and day schools, as well as the name and phone number of your tutor, as soon as tutorial groups are confirmed.

Your tutor marks and comments on your assignments and keeps a close watch on your progress. When your assignments are returned, pay close attention to the comments your tutor has written on the Assignment forms and on the assignments.

Your tutor will also assist you if you have any difficulties during the course. Don't hesitate to telephone him or her if you need help or direction. Do not be shy in contacting your tutor at the designated time period for telephone tutoring if, for example:

• you do not understand any part of the study units or the assigned readings;
• you have difficulty with the activities;
• you are interested in a topic and want to read further about it; and/or
• you have a question about the assignments, your tutor's comments on them, or the grades you received.

The Online Learning Environment (OLE)

This course is supported by HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). You will find course materials and the latest course information on the OLE. You can also communicate with your tutor, the Course Coordinator and classmates through the OLE discussion board.

LESM A201 Hong Kong Criminal Justice System has been designed to give you a thorough understanding of the local criminal justice system and the way it functions. As you begin to explore this fascinating and fast-changing structure, we wish you good luck in your studies and we hope you enjoy the course.

Dr Larry Lai (2021 revision)

Larry Lai (賴卓彬) has a mixed academic background of politics, public administration, Anglo- American political philosophy, and Chinese political philosophy. After finishing his PhD in 2015 (HKU, Hong Kong), he has been an Honorary Lecturer and Teaching Assistant at the University of Hong Kong, and an instructor at CityU SCOPE, where he teaches public administration, politics, political theory, and political economy.

His recent publications include six chapters in Social Ethics: An Introduction (in Chinese), published by Oxford University Press (Hong Kong) in 2012, a book chapter, 'Relocation of the Christian Zheng Sheng College: Challenges in Justifying the Siting of Rehabilitation Centers' in Land and Housing Controversies in Hong Kong: Perspectives of Justice and Social Values, published by Springer in 2020, and a book chapter 'Mencius and the New Confucian Pursuit of Democracy' in Dao Companion to Mencius (forthcoming).

Dr Mark S Gaylord (Original version of the course)

This redevelopment is based on an earlier version of the course (2000) by Mark S Gaylord, who was a lecturer in sociology at City University of Hong Kong from 1987 to 1999. He has also taught in the US and Malaysia, and administered a multidisciplinary research and training project in Indonesia. He is now a US-based consultant on crime, law and social change in East Asia. His publications include The Criminology of Edwin Sutherland (Transaction Books, 1988), Drugs, Law and the State (Transaction Books, 1992), and Introduction to the Hong Kong Criminal Justice System (Hong Kong University Press, 1994).