Sample work Legal Studies Year 11: Extended response

Description of activity

Students research the Australian context of legal and non-legal responses to a specific disadvantaged group. Students use their research to explain the significance of legal and non-legal responses in the mitigation of disadvantage.

Question: How significant are the legal and non-legal responses to mitigating disadvantage of a specific group in Australia?

Context

The students have been:

• engaging in a research process
• investigating examples of legal and non-legal responses over the course of studies
• developing an understanding of disadvantage in the Australian context.

Outcomes

• P1 identifies and applies legal concepts and terminology
• P2 describes the operation of domestic and international legal systems
• P3 discusses the effectiveness of the legal system in addressing issues
• P4 describes the role of law in encouraging cooperation and resolving conflict, as well as initiating and responding to change
• P6 explains the nature of the interrelationship between the legal system and society
• P7 evaluates the effectiveness of the law in achieving justice
• P8 locates, selects and organises legal information from a variety of sources including legislation, cases, media, international instruments and documents
• P9 communicates legal information using well-structured responses
• P10 accounts for differing perspectives and interpretations of legal information and issues

Area(s) of learning

Part III: Law in practice 
Students investigate contemporary issues of disadvantage and explore the relationship between justice, law and society. This includes:

• the development and reform of law as a reflection of social needs
• the responsiveness of the legal system in dealing with issues
• the value of legal and non-legal mechanisms in achieving justice for groups in  society.