YEAR 11 LEGAL STUDIES

ASSIGNMENT 4

Name: Due Date: Friday, Week 4

Issues Study

You will need to complete an investigative report on a contemporary legal issue that is important to
you. A focus question will need to be developed in consultation with your teacher. The report will
include the following:

- Introduction (What is the issue and why is it important?)

- Background/Current laws on the issue (You will need to identify the current legislation and
regulations on the issue.)

- Research connected to the issue (The advantages and disadvantages of your focus question, what do
the experts think?)

- Personal response to the issue (Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?, what do you think?)

- Conclusion/recommendations (This needs to be based on your research)

You may present the report as a written report (800 - 1000 words), an oral presentation (5-6 mins),
mp3/tape recording (5-6 mins), video recording (5-6 mins). A bibliography will need to be included.

Possible focus areas:

- Do sentencing laws reflect community attitudes and values?

- Should euthanasia/prostitution/consumption of prohibited drugs be punishable in criminal law?
- Has negligence law gone too far?
- Does Australia practice the rule of law?
- Should we abolish the states?
- Should Australia become a republic?
- Should MP’s be protected by the principle of parliamentary privilege?
- Should juries be allowed to set the sentences of the people they convict?
- Should the right to remain silent rule be abolished?
- Should juries give reasons for their verdicts?

The Lawstuff website will be particularly helpful. (www.lawstuff.org .au)

This is worth 20% of your semester grade

Grade:
dge and Understanding
nsive knowledge and perceptive
ding of the legal rights and
ities of individuals and groups in
society.
nsive knowledge and perceptive
ding of different sources of law in the
legal system.
nderstanding of the values inherent
ralian legal system.
nowledge and well-considered
ding of the legal rights and
ities of individuals and groups in
society.
nowledge and well-considered
ding of different sources of law in the
legal system.
dered understanding of the values
the Australian legal system.
e knowledge and considered
ding of the legal rights and
ities of individuals and groups in
society.
e knowledge and considered
ding of some sources of law in the
legal system.
d understanding of the values
the Australian legal system.
gnition and awareness of the legal
responsibilities of individuals and
Australian society.
reness of sources of law in the
legal system.
gnition of values inherent in the
legal system.
awareness of the legal rights and
ities of individuals and groups in
society.
areness of any sources of law in the
legal system.
ecognition that there are values
the Australian legal system.
Inquiry
Comprehensive skills in accessing and using
information on aspects of the legal system.
Considerable skills in accessing and using
information on aspects of the legal system.
Competent skills in accessing and using
information on aspects of the legal system.
Some endeavour to access and use information
relevant to aspects of the legal system.
Limited skills in accessing and using information
with any relevance to aspects of the legal
system.
Evaluation
Perceptive evaluation of issues or concepts
through discussion and illustration of opposing
arguments to reach an informed conclusion.
Insightful recognition of how the Australian legal
system responds to cultural diversity.
Comprehensive and astute evaluation of the nature
and operation of aspects of the Australian legal
system.
Thoughtful evaluation of issues or concepts
through discussion and illustration of opposing
arguments to reach an informed conclusion.
Well-considered recognition of how the Australian
legal system responds to cultural diversity.
Well-informed evaluation of the nature and
operation of aspects of the Australian legal system.
Considered evaluation of issues or concepts
through discussion and illustration of opposing
arguments to reach an informed conclusion.
Considered recognition of how the Australian legal
system responds to cultural diversity.
Informed evaluation of the nature and operation of
aspects of the Australian legal system.
Basic consideration of issues or concepts through
discussion and description of some arguments.
Some recognition of how the Australian legal
system responds to cultural diversity.
Description, with attempted evaluation, of the
nature and operation of aspects of the Australian
legal system.
Some description of an issue or concept through
observation of an argument.
Limited recognition of how the Australian legal
system responds to cultural diversity.
Some brief description of the nature and/or
operation of one or more aspects of the Australian
legal system.
Communication
Consistently accurate and coherent
communication of highly informed
observations and opinions, using a range of
forms.
Identification and use of legal terminology,
indicating clear and appropriate
understanding.
Consistent and appropriate acknowledgment
of a diverse range of sources.
Mostly accurate and coherent communication
of well-informed observations and opinions,
using a range of forms.
Identification and use of legal terminology,
indicating mostly clear and appropriate
understanding.
Mostly consistent and appropriate
acknowledgment of a range of sources.
Generally accurate and coherent
communication of informed observations and
opinions, using different forms.
Identification and use of legal terminology,
indicating mostly appropriate understanding.
Mostly appropriate acknowledgment of
sources.
Some accuracy in communication of basic
observations or opinions, in one or more
forms.
Some identification and use of legal
terminology, indicating awareness of the
need for appropriate use.
Some inconsistent acknowledgment of
sources.
Limited accuracy in communication, with few
observations or opinions in a selected form.
Attempted identification and use of examples
of legal terminology, indicating limited
awareness of the need for appropriate use.
Limited acknowledgment of sources.
GRADE:
COMMENT: