Course Title: Provide Support/Supervision to Young Offenders within a Youth Justice Framework

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2010

Course Code: JUST5153

Course Title: Provide Support/Supervision to Young Offenders within a Youth Justice Framework

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6077 - Advanced Diploma of Justice

Course Contact : Karen Linstrom

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254597

Course Contact Email:karen.linstrom@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Dr. Marg Liddell

Location: Building 37 level 4
Phone: 9925-2506

Nominal Hours: 54

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

  • Work in a Legal Environment
  • Apply Investigative Processes in a Criminal Justice Context
  • Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
  • Work with Culturally Diverse Clients in a Justice Environment

Course Description

This course covers the knowledge and skills required to apply Juvenile (Youth) law, procedures and structures within a Youth Justice context.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBQU386 Provide Support/Supervision to Young Offenders within a Youth Justice Framework

Element:

1. Investigate the main causes of offending behaviour within a Youth conrtext.

Performance Criteria:

1.1 The causes of youth crime are analysed.
1.2 The responses to offending behaviour are evaluated.
1.3 Strategies to deal with offending behaviour are formulated.

Element:

2. Analyse the extent, patterns and trends in Juvenile offending.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Statistics of offending behaviour, in a historical and current context are examined.
2.2 Patterns and trends of offending behaviour within a State and Commonwealth context are examined.
2.3 An analysis on State and Commonwealth statistics, and trends and patterns is conducted to identify its implications on youth policy formulation.

Element:

3. Develop and implement Crime Prvention Stragies within a context of Youth offending

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Factors that impact on offending behaviours are evaluated.
3.2 Strategies to minimise and overcome these factors are developed.
3.3 Crime prevention strategies within a context of youth offending are developed and applied.

Element:

4. Review the Legislative framework and Court processes in the Youth Justice context.

Performance Criteria:

4.1 The main aims and legal provisions of key legislation in the youth justice system are examined.
4.2 The structure, composition and role of youth justice services in Victoria are investigated.
4.3 Service provision in Victoria is reviewed in relation to other states.
4.4 Political, legal and economic issues affecting service delivery are analysed.
4.5 The role and function of the Children’s Court is evaluated.
4.6 The role and function of the youth Parole Board is examined.

Element:

5. Analyse and evaluate current Sentencing Policies in a Youth Justice context.

Performance Criteria:

5.1 The role of sentencing within the criminal process is examined.
5.2 The factors contributing to sentencing policies and practices are evaluated.
5.3 Current sentencing philosophy and practice is investigated.
5.4 Treatment programs for young offenders are investigated.
5.5 Alternative sentencing models, including family and Community models are examined.

Element:

6. Analyse practice standards and procedures associated with Youth Justice

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Key practice standards within the youth justice system are reviewed.
6.2 The application of these key practice standards within the youth justice system is evaluated.

Element:

7. Develop and design different workers' roles in response to the needs of young offenders.

Performance Criteria:

7.1 The different work contexts relevant to working with young people are investigated.
7.2 Workers’ roles in responding to the needs of young people are identified.
7.3 Behaviour appropriate to working with young people who offend is examined.
7.4 State legal and social obligations for the worker within the Criminal Justice System are examined.
7.5 Client Assessment Plan (CAP) is applied.
7.6 The role of a youth justice worker within case management is identified.
7.7 The role of the worker in the court process is investigated.

Element:

8. Develop supervision and support strategies relevant to young people who offfend.

Performance Criteria:

8.1 Assessment framework for the identification of support requirements is specified.
8.2 The young person’s role in this process is assessed.
8.3 Family factors associated with anti-social juvenile behaviour are investigated.
8.4 Strategies for assisting and supervising young persons to develop family and community networks are formulated.
8.5 New directions in early intervention and treatment of abusive behaviours are reviewed.

Element:

9. Develop relevant programs and activities for young offenders.

Performance Criteria:

9.1 Program needs of young people who offend are formulated.
9.2 Empowerment and communication skills to assist young people to identify relevant programs and activities are investigated and implemented.
9.3 Specialist support and treatment programs for young offenders are investigated.
9.4 Young people are assisted to access relevant programs and activities.
9.5 Strategies to enable young people to cope successfully with restraints associated with secure care are developed, implemented and monitored.

Learning Outcomes


See elements


Details of Learning Activities

On a weekly basis students will attend a two hour lecture-often with guest speakers from a range of disciplines from wthin the Youth Justice arena

Students will then attend a two hour tutorial to apply the principles or concepts gained from the lecture into a practical case study  environment mirroring real case or work practice.

Students will complete four assesable tasks. there are:

1. Attend a Children’s Court in a number of jurisdictions on week five of the course. Students, working in  syndicate groups, must present a power-point and oral presentation on a case or issues observed in the court room. Students are to link the theory of punishment, the sentencing hierarchy employed and the outcomes. they will assessed by the leacturer as well as their peers.

2. Student will create a Pre-Sentence Report based on the case study presented as though they were assessing the younger offender for a Magistrate.

3. Students will complete a Risk Assessment Matrix known as a VONIY- to determine the risk for an offender based on a case study

4. Students will complete a client Assessment Plan (CAP) for a young offender.


Teaching Schedule

Week One: An overview of how the world "sees" Youth Issues and Youth Offending.

Week Two: Understanding the difference between the philosophy and application of punishment between adults and youth offenders.

Week Three: The historical evolution of Youth Services and Youth Justice from the Welfare model to the Justice model.

Week four: The Children’s Court-structure, role and function.

Week Five: Students will be attending one of several Children’s Courts this week to observe and begin to compile data for their first assessable task.

Week Six: Managing Offending Behaviour: Pre-Sentence Reports-the role of Justice Workers and their networking with Police, Social Services and Community Agencies.

Week Seven: Child Protection and the management of young offenders on Dual Orders. In the tutorial group presentations of the court visits will commence

Week Eight: Mid-Semester Break

Week Nine: The Youth Parole and Youth Residential Boards-their role and function in Risk management for the young offender and the community. Pre-Sentence report due.

Week Ten: The role of government and community agencies in the development of treatment and support services.

Week Eleven: The Client Assessment and Client Service Plan.

Week Twelve: Risk Assessment: How the VONIY uses measurable indicators to determine the level of risk for the young offender.

Week Thirteen: Bringing it all together. CAP assessment due

Week Fourteen: VONIY assessment due.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Assessable tasks for this course will include:

* Active participation in weekly Case Studies and Tutorials
* Indididual contribution to a group presentation on observed Youth Justice cases in court
* Completion of a Pre Sentence Report to industry standard
* Completion of a Client Assessment Plan (CAP) and Client Service Plan (CSP) to Industry standards


Assessment Tasks

Assessable tasks for this course will include:

* Active participation in weekly Case Studies and Tutorials
* Individual contribution to a group presentation on observed Youth Justice cases in court
* Completion of a Pre Sentence Report to industry standard
* Completion of a Client Assessment Plan (CAP) and Client Service Plan (CSP) to Industry standards

Assessment Tasks
On a weekly basis students will attend a two hour lecture-often with guests speaks from a range of disciplines within the Youth Justice arena

Students will then attend a two hour tutorial session where they will apply the underpinning knowledge or skill presented in the lecture to a relevant real-life case study to demonstrate competency to discipline standards.

Students will also complete three assessable tasks: a Pre-Sentence Report ( providing an assessment of issues and making recommendations to a Magistrate as to an appropriate Sentence option), a Client Assessment Plan (CAP-the issues and strategies to manage a person under a court order) and a Risk Analysis (VONIY-the risk assessment tool used by practitioners in the Youth Justice field to determine the severity of issues and the priority for them to be addressed) for a Client Service Plan (CSP)

Students will attend a Children’s Court session on week five of the Course. They will then, in syndicate groups, create a Power Point presentation on their finding of the court and the analysis of the legislation, sentencing principles and hierarchy or response to offending learned in class. They will assess by the Teacher/Lecturer as well as their peers. This will form a percentage of their overall assessment score.
Assessment Matrix

Weekly participation in Case Studies links to elements 1.1,1.2,3.1,3.2, 4.1,4.2, 5.1,5.2, 6.1,6.2,7.1, 7.2, 7.6, 9.1, 9.2)

Weekly Lecture content links to elements 2.1, 2.2,2.3,3.1,3.2,3.3, 4.1,4.2,4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 5.1,5.2, 5.3,5.4,5.5, 6.1,6.2, 7.1, 7.2,7.3,7.4, 8.3,8.5,9.2,9.3 9.5.

Children Court Visit and Oral presentation links to elements 4.5, 4.6, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5.

Pre-Sentence Report Assignment links to elements 4.5,4.6, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3and 5.5

Development of the Client Assessment Plan (CAP) links to elements 5.4, 6.1,6.2, 7.1,7.2,7.3,7.4, 7.5, 7.6

Development of the Risk Assessment tool (VONIY) for a Client Service Plan (CSP) links to elements 7.4, 7.7,8.1,8.2,8.3, 8.4, 9.1,9.2, 9.3 9.4, 9.5.


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview