Law Portfolio: Crime, Social Harm, Westminster Study Reflection

This law portfolio presents an analysis of crime and social harm, differentiating between crime as defined by Actus reus and Mens rea, and social harm's broader societal impact. The portfolio delves into Zeminology and criminology, highlighting their importance in understanding crime. Furthermore, it includes a reflective statement detailing the student's learning experience at Westminster, focusing on the development of critical skills such as writing, reading, and critical thinking. The student discusses the UK's law-making process, key legal theories, and the impact of criminal law on society, referencing various legal concepts and theories such as retributive and deterrent theories, common law, and the role of judiciary. The portfolio also covers topics like English criminal laws, and the fundamentals of crime, and provides insights into the student's academic growth and understanding of legal principles. The references include a list of books and journals used to support the portfolio's analysis.

Portfolio
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
How you have considered this or taken this feedback on board going forward..........................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
Reflective statement for study at Westminster............................................................................4
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................7
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................8

MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Crime and socials harm
Crime is considered as that activity performed in order to harm public at large. These
activities covered within criminal laws of UK. Then comes Social harm which are those acts or
conduct that has been committed in order to cause culpable homicide or bodily injuries to a
person. Crime is mainly based over two main elements that is Actus rea and Mens Rea. Both
elements are focused over motive and intention of individual in committing crime. In social harm
mainly society and its various element is been covered. Further it can be said that crime is the act
within which motive and intention is required whereas social harm is the basic structure covering
about individual’s behaviors within society. Social harm holds advantage over crime in a way
that it only talks about the society and elements making crime increased within it. Also social
harm theory has been proven to be base for penology since it covers about victimology which
means studying of various aspects related to victims or prisoners. Further the study of social
harm is known as Zeminology . Crime is covered under criminology which talks about various
kinds of crime taking place within society. The concept of Zeminology is based over "individual-
based harms" and criticism of criminology. Study of these two concepts help law students in
analyzing about crime and social harm. So, it can be observed that social harm is been studied
within Zeminology and Crime Under criminology. Social harm has advantage over crime that in
this all kinds of harm is covered not only crime of specific nature.
TASK 2
Reflective statement for study at Westminster
During my academic year I have learn various things while studying within Westminster.
Skills that have improved during academic year are writing skills, reading skills, presentation
skills, critical thinking skills and my reflective skills. Due o my writing skills I have developed
within me various style of writing that has helped me in maintaining neatness in my work. Also
this skill has helped in obtaining good grades within Westminster (Stratton, Powell and
Cameron, 2017). Also I have analyses about various kinds of crimes like murder, sexual assault,
extortion, kidnapping and culpable homicide. Westminster made me understands about various
aspects in relation to crime in detail. Further it made me understand about how legislative,
executive and judiciary help in making laws. Then I gained knowledge about process followed in
Unite Kingdom for making law. In this First Reading is included which makes bill to be
introduced within parliament and no discussion is done upon it. Then come’s Second Reading at

this stage the debate is done about the bill that has to be passed as law. In this MPs vote over the
bill. This is done with the help of whip system in which members of parliament does voting. If
majority is attained then only bill is preceded with it (Schimkowsky, 2020). Then comes
Committee Stage within which bill is referred to the House of Commons committee for detailed
examination. There may be further amendments made to the bill at this stage if needed. Report
Stage is there which makes debates is been done over the amendment that is been suggested by
the house. Then again voting takes place. Another stage is Third Reading bill is re-presented to
the House. Short debate may be done and then vote whether it should be accepted or rejected.
House of Lords after going to above stages House of Lords is given the bill for an final round
up if any amendment is suggested then it is made. The final stage is Royal Ascent this is the
final stage of the process where the monarch has to formally approve the Bill and then becomes
an Act of Parliament. It has been granted the power to sign the bill only under Royal Ascent Act
1961. Further I learned about common laws which have give power to judges to form law or pass
judgment that can be used as law for future purpose. The through my research skills I have
learned about various types of theories related to crime that is Sociological theory, biological
theory, political theory, economic theory and control theory.
These theories is based upon important elements existing within society or an country
like sociology theory deals with behavioral aspects of individual, economic theory deals upon
monetary aspects related to money and then comes political theories which is related over
influence of political leaders on individuals life. Also I have learned about various kinds of
theories that is related to punishments RETRIBUTIVE THEORY, DETERRENT THEORY.
PREVENTIVE THEORY, INCAPACITATION THEORY, COMPENSATORY
THEORY, REFORMATIVE THEORY, UTILITIRIAN THEORY. These theories have
helped me in understanding about criteria of giving punishment to criminal in relation over crime
committed by them. These theories deals upon rights of victims before getting punishment and
also helps in maintaining classes of criminals as per there crime or crime committed by them.
During my studies tenure I gained knowledge about English criminal laws which deals over
offences of criminal nature, methods of preventing them and how they can be controlled. These
laws is been followed in England and Wales. Criminal code of conduct has brought various kinds
of punishment with imprisonment and crimes upon criminal who helps in moderating crime
within society. Also these laws have given power to judiciary over hearing criminal cases and
punishing the offender with right acts or law. Further it has helped in making guidance to be
created I relation to police over there working process for arresting criminals. This is covered
within criminal code of conduct in United Kingdom. During my studies I have gained detailed
knowledge about both civil and criminal law but developed my interests within criminal law.
These laws made me understand about fundamentals of crime that is guilty act (or actus reus)
and a guilty mental state (or mens rea)( Ockey, 2018). If these elements are absent then an
person can be considered as criminal. I have learned the impact of crime upon modern society
and how it ah changed the face of crime within society. Also these laws in my understanding
deals upon “liability that can be proven simply by the guilty act”. I have done analysis about

statistics and data which has showed me that why criminal has so drastically increased within
UK. Also I have read in detail about judicial system of UK. This made me understand about
rigidity of law and requirement of them being modified in better manner. So, during my
academic years within Westminster I have learned that criminal laws is been used for punishing
individual committing crime and over those offences which are of criminal nature. Through my
experience I have learned about government and various processes related to crime. Also I have
learned the concept of social harm and criminology. Social harm is related over causing harm to
both individual and society. In crime only intention with motive is observed.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Guesmi, K and et. al., 2019. Portfolio diversification with virtual currency: Evidence from
bitcoin. International Review of Financial Analysis.63. pp.431-437.
Liu, W., 2019. Portfolio diversification across cryptocurrencies. Finance Research Letters. 29.
pp.200-205.
Scolere, L., 2019. Brand yourself, design your future: Portfolio-building in the social media age.
New Media & Society. 21(9). pp.1891-1909.
Taljegard, M and et. al., 2019. Impacts of electric vehicles on the electricity generation
portfolio–A Scandinavian-German case study. Applied Energy. 235. pp.1637-1650.
Wu, Y and et. al., 2021. Portfolio planning of renewable energy with energy storage technologies
for different applications from electricity grid. Applied Energy. 287. p.116562.