This major new text examines the core features of criminal law in all Australian jurisdictions. It builds upon the trend of recent High Court decisions to provide national solutions that will work so far as possible in all Australian jurisdictions, whether code or common law.

Professor David Lanham and his co-authors at Melbourne Law School cover both general principles and specific offences. The latter include murder, manslaughter, abortion and euthanasia, assaults, threats, bodily harm and endangerment offences, sexual offences, theft and larceny, false pretences and deception, and offences involving financial advantage, benefits, and detriments.

There is significant novelty in the very close analysis of the central role played by defences in assessing criminality. This is accompanied by detailed discussion of general topics such as the different forms of criminal liability and preliminary crimes such as attempts, incitement, and conspiracy. There is also a chapter on accomplices, including aiding and abetting, innocent agency, acting in concert, and causation as a basis of joint liability.

Three additional introductory chapters—What is a Crime?, The Purposes of Criminal Law, and The Anatomy of a Crime—intended particularly for students, are published electronically (see Summary Table of Contents below), courtesy of Federation Press.

Summary Table of Contents

Preface
Table of Cases
Table of Statutes

CHAPTER 1: Introduction

1A. What is a Crime (online PDF only)
1B. The Purposes of Criminal Law (online PDF only)
1C. The Anatomy of a Crime (online PDF only)

CHAPTER 2: Defences
CHAPTER 3: Provocation
CHAPTER 4: Homicide
CHAPTER 5: Personal Injury Offences
CHAPTER 6: Sexual Offences
CHAPTER 7: Offences of Dishonesty
CHAPTER 8: Crimes with Diminished Fault Elements
CHAPTER 9: Preliminary Crimes
CHAPTER 10: Accomplices
CHAPTER 11: Conclusion

Index