[imamarouna]

Anyone that has sat This year OCR criminal law G153 ,Does any of you remenber the questions that had came up , I just want to know what area of the law they were asking you to look at and if possible tell me in the order the came on the paper.

Thank you

[LizAnn]

I can't remember the exact wording of the questions, but in general:
Section A essays:

• Actus reus of theft.

• Voluntary manslaughter (I believe it was to do with whether or not the changes made by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 were effective, and you also had to discuss the old law of provocation etc alongside the new law.)

• Omissions and its links to legal principle/public policy.

Section B problems:

• Non-fatals and defences.

• Murder and some of the defences (inc. intoxication, although this was a really oddly worded question if I remember correctly).

• Involuntary manslaughter.

Section C dilemma boards:

• Property offences (mainly burglary and theft).

• Attempts.

And I don't know if you're thinking of doing it, but as a general comment, trying to guess questions for this exam is a bad idea. Nobody expected omissions to appear in the January paper and even though it's a lovely topic, a lot of people hadn't revised it enough in order to answer it well. So yeah, just be careful. Even though there's loads to revise, you really are better off learning everything possible and having options in the exam as opposed to learning a few topics and being stuck if certain questions appear.

[imamarouna]

Thank you soo much , your like a hero atm and yes i am going try and do it and thanks for the advice but seriously i dont know how i am going to revise all the topic require to revise i was thinking of leaving insanity and automatisim out as they so to get your head round , how did you revise then ?

[LizAnn]

I know, it's a horrible, massive exam to revise for. :/ We weren't taught attempts (as my college is entering us for the special study in June so we've only been learning it over the past few weeks) so I guess you can realistically leave one or two topics out as long as you are completely happy to answer either a section a, b, or c or the other topics. You could leave out insanity/automatism, but if you're trying to guess questions I'd say it's 'due' to come up (although, as shown by the omissions question in January, examiners like to mess people around ).

For revision, I'd start now if you haven't already, because this is an exam that you just cannot simply cram for the night before. I'd recommend seeing if any libraries have a copy of Unlocking Criminal Law that you can borrow, as although other books are good, I found this one particularly helpful. For more general revision, I did the usual sorts of things- mindmaps, cue cards, etc- and I wrote out a lot of notes and highlighted acts/sections/cases, as obviously cases are important for the exam. And make sure you remember to go over the reforms of each area- I know it sounds obvious, but still. Also, I gave up trying to learn the dates of all the cases. As there are so many, don't work yourself up trying to know the dates; focus on the name, facts, and the ratio decidendi/legal principle. However, I'd say that you do need to know the dates/order of the cases that developed the mens rea and the meaning of intention (so Mohan, Nedrick, Woollin etc).

I have a number of typed up documents that are amalgamations of the above textbook, the set A2 textbook, and booklets that my college provides, so I can send them to you, if you'd like? They're overly detailed so you don't need to know everything but if they'd even help a little bit then...

And what do you find difficult about insanity/automatism? They were two of my better topics (I was annoyed when no question on them appeared ) so maybe I can help.

[imamarouna]

We sat attempts the in January's and it was the worst exam ever, no one got higher than a C in the class for some reason but I am re-sitting in June as I really need a A for uni

I am going start revising it on Wednesday after french speaking exam is over and I am planning doing it 3 times a week so I can use other days for me other exams and yes I am trying keep my notes to minimum as theirs too much to remember , I usually just make like a paragraph describing each part law which end seeing me carrying loads notes round and did you leave any of the topics to out ?

And yes please any help is useful atm , as long it saves me time researching into things so I can spend my time taking note and thank you

And I don't I really liked them but when I tried to revise I couldn't but I think it's because I used like big words in the note which made it harder but if I revise it I have to leave mens rea out as it's too big with intention reckless negligence and transfer malice

[ndubz4lyf]

do anyone have detailed revision or essay on the evaluation of the law commision

[LizAnn]

The special study seems to be one of those exams which has a really specific markscheme. Not looking forward to it. :/

I left out attempts and strict liability (as I said, we've only just learnt attempts and college didn't try to fit in strict liability), and although I revised all the other topics, I didn't focus very much on voluntary manslaughter- I did guess (bit hypocritical of me ) that it would be an essay, and I knew I would never answer an essay question on it. It's also a difficult one to revise/answer questions on because you have to apply provocation cases to loss of control, hence why I didn't really revise it. I would advise (if you're going to leave out topics) that you make sure not to leave out actus reus and mens rea. As for the others, it's up to you really. But yeah, if it's a choice between insanity/automatism and mens rea, definitely revise mens rea.

I'll upload my notes- but as I said, there's a lot of stuff/extra cases in them that you do not need to know, so don't panic or anything if it seems like there's loads. Just take what you need from them and use that, or use them for reference. There is a lot of added information in my notes that really is not necessary for the exam; you simply need to be able to explain/apply the different areas of law using acts/cases and know a few reforms. So if it seems like there's loads of writing, remember you don't need to know every tiny bit.

(Original post by ndubz4lyf)
do anyone have detailed revision or essay on the evaluation of the law commision

I don't have anything on the Law Commission specifically...for this exam, I tended to just mention reforms as a final paragraph in the essay, and would reference the Law Commission then. For Criminal Law, they shouldn't be able to ask for a full essay evaluating the Law Commission- I guess they could word questions so that you maybe have to mention why certain proposals were put forward, but I don't think you need to be able to evaluate the Law Commission itself. (But please correct me if I'm wrong. )

[imamarouna]

It's really specific, you have to know every single detail on attempts so just make sure you read between the lines possible as you can

Strict liability is quite easy and I am going leave out voluntary manslaughter tbh after you said that but do you think be possible to leave automation and insanity as well as them two are like one day topic tbh and I will take your advice and revise mens rea as it kind of covers murder which will be useful when revising it

How will be able to get the work as I have no idea how to download them and once again thank you

[LizAnn]

Okay, will do- thank you for the advice! I'm worried about the essay question for the special study, it seems as though I don't have enough time to write it and put in/expand all of the points I want to make.

You could leave out automatism and insanity, although they are pretty much one topic and have a number of overlaps. And yeah, if you know you won't answer a question on voluntary manslaughter (if it appears) then I would maybe leave it out. But definitely revise mens rea. Oh, and go over causation carefully and make sure you know it. I think (although I might be wrong) that there's always a 'dead body' problem question on either murder or manslaughter, so make sure you're able to discuss causation in relation to them, as it gains you quite a few marks.

If you just click on the links, it should give you an option to open/save the file.

[imamarouna]

I couldn't finish the essay on attempts but just try and put the essential but whatever you do make sure to conclude your point as it shows you understood the development

Yes thank you for helping me to decide and thanks for all the advice and I have just opened one of the documents which is mens rea ,is that all that is required for mens rea? Doesn't look big

[LizAnn]

Oky, if I'm running out of time I'll make sure to conclude points and stuff. Thanks.

That's all for mens rea as a separate topic- it doesn't include the mens rea for certain offences or anything, just the explanations of intent, recklessness, etc. But yeah, that's essentially what you need to know, as they can ask questions on just mens rea.

[imamarouna]

let me know how it goes and good luck as inam quite nervous for this re-sit

and thank you very much for help

[LizAnn]

Will do- and let me know how Criminal Law goes for you! Hopefully the questions won't be too bad for both Criminal Law and the special study. You're welcome, and good luck.

[imamarouna]

I will let you know and hope they nice papers, got mock on Friday which will help me work out how hard it really is haha and thanks

[reb306]

(Original post by imamarouna)
We sat attempts the in January's and it was the worst exam ever, no one got higher than a C in the class for some reason but I am re-sitting in June as I really need a A for uni

I am going start revising it on Wednesday after french speaking exam is over and I am planning doing it 3 times a week so I can use other days for me other exams and yes I am trying keep my notes to minimum as theirs too much to remember , I usually just make like a paragraph describing each part law which end seeing me carrying loads notes round and did you leave any of the topics to out ?

And yes please any help is useful atm , as long it saves me time researching into things so I can spend my time taking note and thank you

And I don't I really liked them but when I tried to revise I couldn't but I think it's because I used like big words in the note which made it harder but if I revise it I have to leave mens rea out as it's too big with intention reckless negligence and transfer malice

Hey, I was just wondering If you could remember what came up for the questions in January on the attempts paper? Thanks

[imamarouna]

In question one -. Whybrow (can't remember how the questions were worded but the mark scheme was really harsh )

Question2 - about looking at how attempts act 1981 developed the law ( once again not sure but it's something based on that line)

Question 3 -.(they are not in order that's on the paper ) One of scenario is exactly like gullifer , another scenario is about impossible and it's bout someone wanting to kill someone but they did not turn up a the place they expect them too and i can't remember the last sorry but don't think it was conditional intent as my friend thought one them was but there was none ofconditional intent

The mark scheme. Was harsh I thought as the first question requires you to talk bit bout none fatal offences and we didn't learn it as we were only doing attempts

[Mr.mAddd]

(Original post by LizAnn)
The special study seems to be one of those exams which has a really specific markscheme. Not looking forward to it. :/

I left out attempts and strict liability (as I said, we've only just learnt attempts and college didn't try to fit in strict liability), and although I revised all the other topics, I didn't focus very much on voluntary manslaughter- I did guess (bit hypocritical of me ) that it would be an essay, and I knew I would never answer an essay question on it. It's also a difficult one to revise/answer questions on because you have to apply provocation cases to loss of control, hence why I didn't really revise it. I would advise (if you're going to leave out topics) that you make sure not to leave out actus reus and mens rea. As for the others, it's up to you really. But yeah, if it's a choice between insanity/automatism and mens rea, definitely revise mens rea.

I'll upload my notes- but as I said, there's a lot of stuff/extra cases in them that you do not need to know, so don't panic or anything if it seems like there's loads. Just take what you need from them and use that, or use them for reference. There is a lot of added information in my notes that really is not necessary for the exam; you simply need to be able to explain/apply the different areas of law using acts/cases and know a few reforms. So if it seems like there's loads of writing, remember you don't need to know every tiny bit.


I don't have anything on the Law Commission specifically...for this exam, I tended to just mention reforms as a final paragraph in the essay, and would reference the Law Commission then. For Criminal Law, they shouldn't be able to ask for a full essay evaluating the Law Commission- I guess they could word questions so that you maybe have to mention why certain proposals were put forward, but I don't think you need to be able to evaluate the Law Commission itself. (But please correct me if I wrong. )

Have you possibly got an model answers to essay questions?

[Rebecca_ann]

Does anyone know the grade boundaries for criminal law paper on June 15th?



This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Procrastination1]

I know its hard to guess what might come up in June as law is so unpredictable, but does anyone have any strong feelings about a topic especially for the 50 mark essay question?

[imamarouna]

whatever happens , i just hope no invo manslaughter and non fatal offence against person doesnt come up , and hopefully nothing to do with mens rea haha