Hong Kong Criminal Justice System

Course Coordinator: Dr Wayne Chan, MSSc (National University of Singapore); PhD (HKU)

Course Developer: Dr Larry Lai Cheuk Bun (HKU)

This course offers an introduction to the Hong Kong criminal justice system. It is a core course in the Diploma, Higher Diploma, Bachelor of Social Sciences, and Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) programmes in Law Enforcement and Security Management. The course will also be useful to anyone who would like to know more about the criminal justice system in Hong Kong.

Aims
This course aims to introduce students to the development, structure and operation of the Hong Kong criminal justice system. Specifically, the course assists learners to:

• Build the students’ understanding of the principal models of criminal justice;
• Equip students with the knowledge required for evaluating the institutions of criminal justice in Hong Kong as an organizational system;
• Develop students’ knowledge of various components of the Hong Kong criminal justice system;
• Provide students with sound knowledge about the future of criminal justice in Hong Kong.

Contents
The course covers the following topics:

• How scholars explain the origin of law, measure crime and detect its trends, and approach the relationship between politics and criminal justice
• The general principles and models of criminal justice
• The roles and functions of the police in dealing with crime and criminals in Hong Kong
• The roles and functions of other law enforcement organizations such as the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, and the Independent Commission Against Corruption in dealing with crime and criminals in Hong Kong
• The roles and functions of the Prosecutions Division of the Justice Department
• The roles and functions of the criminal courts in Hong Kong
• The roles and functions of the Correctional Services Department in dealing with crime and criminals in Hong Kong
• The future development of criminal justice in Hong Kong

Learning support
There will be eight to ten two-hour tutorials at regular intervals and regular day schools.

Assessment
There are five assignments and a final examination. Students are required to submit assignments via the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Set book(s)
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.