Unit 1     Legal Principles & Problems in Criminal Law



DEFEND or REFUTE the FOLLOWING STATEMENT


LAW'S PURPOSE, CORE PRINCIPLES & THE CRIMINAL PROCESS

INTRODUCTION TO     CORE PRINCIPLES & PROBLEMS



ACTIVITY 1


ACTIVITY 1 DEBRIEF THE HARM PRINCIPLE & CRIMINALIZATION OF BEHAVIOUR

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ACTIVITY 2

ACTIVITY 2 DEBRIEF → FAIRNESS REQUIREMENTS & CRIMINAL JUSTICE VALUES IN CANADA
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ACTIVITY 3

ACTIVITY 3 DEBRIEF → PATTERNS & PROBLEMS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPOSED BY THE STATISTICS
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ACTIVITY 4
PLANET  A   or   PLANET  B   CHALLENGE

ACTIVITY 4 DEBRIEF → ACTING JUSTLY TO AVOID BAD CONSEQUENCES AND BRING ABOUT GOOD ONES
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ACTIVITY 5
BAD   BEHAVIOUR   vs.   CRIMINAL   BEHAVIOUR

ACTIVITY 5 DEBRIEF → DRAWING THE LINE ON HUMAN BEHAVIOUR (ACTS & OMISSIONS)



BIG IDEA 1     ELEMENTS  OF  THE  OFFENCE
Criminal Law's Purpose
STUDY THE FOLLOWING TEXT READING     "What is Crime" Reading


OPENING CASE HEADLINE
Instructions

BUILD a FACT PATTERN from the case headline ... HINT

What is the story?
What facts stand out as significant?
What facts are in dispute?
What is the alleged crime?
What Criminal Code offence applies?
What must the Crown prove?


OPENING FACT PATTERN          R. v. Stephan (2019 on appeal)

FACTS DETERMINED AT FIRST TRIAL in R. v. Stephan (2016)  →  DECISION APPEALED ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA (ordered a retrial) → SECOND TRIAL (Battle of the Experts) (acquitted) (2019) →  Appealed (decision set aside and retrial ordered) (2021) ... awaiting Crown decision on pursuing a THIRD TRIAL.

NOTE -- a senior Crown prosecutor will be asked to assess the public interest in going ahead, the likelihood of conviction, and the importance of sending a message about parental rights (i.e. general deterrence).  Backlogs in the courts, the amount of time that has passed, and the availability of witnesses could also be considered.


LISTEN     Podcast Series Canadian True Crime The Death of Ezekiel Stephan PART 2 (ep. 68). 
68 The Death of Ezekiel Stephan - Part 2
Kristi Lee (Canadian True Crime)
0:00/1:08:56

ENRICHMENT LISTENING     PART 1 (ep. 67), PART 3 (ep. 69).
67 The Death of Ezekiel Stephan - Part 1
Kristi Lee (Canadian True Crime)
0:00/1:15:18
69 The Death of Ezekiel Stephan - Part 3
Kristi Lee (Canadian True Crime)
0:00/1:04:35
NOTES TO SUPPORT YOUR UNDERSTANDING & THINKING ABOUT THE FIRST STEPHAN TRIAL COVERED IN THE PODCAST

R. v. Stephan 3--2--1 ACTIVITY     See Google Classroom Post Under Class Materials to Access the DEBRIEF Google Doc LINK.



6 CASE LESSONS     RATIOS


ADDITIONAL ENRICHMENT MATERIALS

R. v. Stephan CASE TIMELINE

Recent Journalism on the Appeal of the Second Trial Acquittal in the Stephan Case


Broadening the R. v. Stephan Criminal Elements to an EXPANDED Criminal Equation

READING 1     Elements of an Offence




BIG IDEA 2     THEORIES  OF  CRIMINALITY  &

CRIMINAL  RESPONSIBILITY


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SEE R.v. Jacob Readings, Materials, Class Activities, Videos under "UNIT 1 Evaluation Materials" on the Google Classroom <https://classroom.google.com/w/Mzg4ODExNzM2MTY1/t/all>.
SEE R.v. Jacob Legal Opinion Project Page <https://www.socialglobalstudies.com/r-v-jacob-legal-opinion>.



BIG IDEA 3     MEASURING  HARM
"Reasoned Apprehension of Harm" = "evidence in the case supports the existence of a connection to harm" (R. v. Sharpe) SCC (2001).
PDF COPY Case Debate Instructions

ADDITIONAL CASE NOTES



APPLYING BIG IDEA 1, 2, 3
CCC s. 88 and s. 90 ANNOTATIONS & HIGHLIGHTS


BIG IDEA 4     JUDGE-MADE LAW & PRECEDENT


HIV & the Criminalization of Non-Disclosure



LISTEN FOR CONTEXT The History of HIV
#93: World AIDS Day Turns 30
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Out In The Open)
0:00/54:47
10/06/12 TSE - Podcast
The Sunday Edition from CBC Radio (Highlights) (The Sunday Edition from CBC Radio (Highlights))
0:00/1:28:15
Aids and the Law INTRO PODCAST (LISTEN from minute 37:46 to 42:33 2012)
LISTEN from minute 40:18 to 1:02:50 for the Audio Documentary titled "A Calculated Risk"

DOCUMENTARY     Positive Women

CLASS GOOGLE DOC -- 4 Focus Questions & Answers

EVOLUTION OF HIV CRIMINALIZATION CASE LAW
HIV & the Criminal Law case materials INCLUDE --


PART 2     HIV Case Readings [Ssenyonga, Cuerrier, Williams, Mabior/D.C., Bear]

PART 3    HIV Justice Network HIV Criminalization Cases Database by Country [search "Canada" & select a specific category of criminalization or select "All categories"]

PART 2 PRECEDENT CASES IN CANADA -- STUDENT TASKS

ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING RESEARCH SOURCES FOR CAUSAL MAPPING / MOST DEVASTATING FACT


BIG IDEA 5     CRIMINAL DEFENCES

CASE STUDY          The Defence of Provocation Under the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC s. 232)
Gay Panic as a Legal Defence - November 21, 2012
The Current from CBC Radio (Highlights) (The Current from CBC Radio (Highlights))
0:00/26:56

SOURCE 1  LISTEN FROM MINUTE 10:46 to 18:37

SOURCE 2

SOURCE 4     FACT PATTERN

The Appellant = The Accused, Sebastian Bouchard

CCC OFFENCE OF MURDER

LEGAL TEST -- DEFENCE OF PROVOCATION  CCC  s. 232

Criminal Defences GRID     READINGS + PRECEDENT CASES

INSTRUCTIONS -- Based on the readings linked ABOVE add to the class Criminal Defences GRID detailing two elements: 1) the LEGAL TEST to establish an "air of reality" for your assigned criminal defence AND 2) the RATIO of the leading case for your assigned criminal defence (also detailed in the readings provided ABOVE).

CASE STUDY          NCR Not Criminally Responsible (The Defence of Mental Disorder) DOCUMENTARY The Man Who Hears Voices

CASE STUDY          R. v. Hewer CRIMINAL DEFENCES FACT PATTERN
R. v. Hewer   FACT PATTERN