Course Title: Criminology

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2013

Course Code: JUST5150

Course Title: Criminology

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6077 - Advanced Diploma of Justice

Course Contact : Michelle Noon

Course Contact Phone: 9925 4581

Course Contact Email:michelle.noon@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 68

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

VBQU369 Apply Research Techniques within a Justice Framework

Course Description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the study of crime, substantive areas of offending behaviour, and the implications of criminological knowledge for policy formulation and crime prevention strategy.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBQM391 Criminology


Learning Outcomes


This course aims to enable students to:

  1. Describe the broad nature of crime and criminology and demonstrate the linkages between theory and policy
  2. Demonstrate understanding of the historical evolution of criminology, showing ideological changes and similarities in approaches to crime, from early civilisation to contemporary times
  3. Analyse the nature, extent and patterns of crime, in Australia and globally
  4. Evaluate the validity of official crime statistics
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of the causes of crime
  6. Analyse the role of criminal profiling and its relevance to criminal investigation
  7. Demonstrate understanding of the major forms of criminal behaviour, their known patterns and correlates, and specify the measures designed to prevent or contain them
  8. Explain the rise of victimology as a major focus of study, and the importance of the victim’s role in the criminal process


Details of Learning Activities

Students will participate in a variety of teaching methods including: lectures, tutorials, class discussion, seminar presentations, group/individual work on projects, audio-visual presentations, field excursions where applicable, on site visits, and interaction with individuals and groups within the criminal justice area.


Teaching Schedule

Week One: Introduction to the study of crime

Week Two: Early codes of crime & 18th C Classical school

Week Three: 19th C positivist approach

Week Four: Late-19th C/early 20th C contributions

Week Five: Social and political approaches 1950s to now

Week Six: Newly emerging criminological theories

Week Seven: Validity of official crime statistics & Exam

Week Eight: Sources of crime statistics

Week Nine: Victims

Week Ten: Mad, bad or sad? Causes of crime & criminality

Week Eleven: Crimes against the person

Week Twelve: Crimes against property

Week Thirteen: Organized crime and public order crimes

Week Fourteen: Profiling

Week Fifteen: Crime prevention, policy formulation & summation


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

On-line readings are available on the Blackboard. Students are required to refer to these readings in their assessment tasks.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment is designed to cover all Learning Outcomes and students will be expected to: participate in class and on-line discussions and debates, complete two closed book examinations, undertake a small scale research project and present their findings and write one 2000 word essay.


Assessment Tasks

There are three groups of assessment, containing 7 individual pieces of assessment in this subject, as follows:
1. Six weekly micro-exams (6x5% = 30%)
2. Presentation (25%)
3. Three Short form papers (8%+12%+25%= 45%)

Students will be provided a detailed handout of each of the above assessments that includes the assessment outline and the due date by the second week of the semester.


Assessment Matrix

:

The assessment has been designed to cover all learning outcomes and will be graded in accordance with RMIT University’s Mark Table 7 which is as follows:

HD 80 – 100
D 70 - 79
C 60 - 69
PA 50 - 59
NN 0 - 49
 

Other Information

All written work must adhere to the following criteria:
1. Written reports, research projects or essays are to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and familiarity with the prescribed or negotiated topics
2. It is expected that all submitted work will be well written, with clear and consistent grammar, expression and punctuation. It must be well structured and cogently address the issues raised in the chosen topic in a logical, ordered and organised manner
3. The concepts must be well defined and demonstrate a critical analysis of the chosen topic
4. Written submissions must demonstrate appropriate preparation, reading and research
5. In-text references must follow the APA style of referencing. In addition, you must provide a bibliography with correct and comprehensive details in relation to texts, articles, research reports and other sources that you have used
6. Double or 1.5 spacing and a font size of 10-12 must be used in either Arial or Times Roman. Do not submit double paged assessments.

Extensions
In accordance with RMIT policy, you may apply for an extension where there have been unexpected or extenuating circumstances, e.g.
• Hospital admission, serious injury, severe asthma, severe anxiety or depression. This does not include minor illness such as a cold, period pain or hay fever.
• Loss or bereavement – e.g. death of a close family member, family/relationship breakdown.
• Hardship/trauma – e.g. victim of crime, sudden loss of income or employment, severe disruption to domestic arrangements.
You must keep a copy of their assessment until the graded submission has been returned or marks have been posted.

All email communications will be sent to your RMIT student email address.

Applying for an Extension
Extension of time for assessment tasks may be granted where circumstances beyond your control prevent submission by the published due date. An application for extension of time must be lodged with your tutor or the course coordinator as early as possible, and no later than one working day before the due date for submission.
You can apply for extension using the University’s Extension Application Form – http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf – or by emailing your course coordinator or tutor directly.
An extension of up to seven calendar days may be granted if good reason can be demonstrated. Include supporting evidence (such as medical certificates) with your application.
Extensions beyond seven calendar days cannot be granted by course coordinators, tutors or the School. To apply for an extension of time greater than seven calendar days you must lodge an application for Special Consideration.

Applying for Special Consideration
If you are seeking an extension of more than seven calendar days (from the original due date) you must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form, preferably prior to, but no later than two working days after the official due date. Late applications will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. For information about Special Consideration and how to apply, see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration

Penalties for Late Submission
If you have not been granted an extension or special consideration, late submission will be penalised as follows:
Assessment tasks submitted after the due date of submission shall receive a penalty of five per cent of the grades available for that assessment per day for each working day late.
No assessment task shall be accepted more than three weeks after the due date.

Assessment Appeals
If you believe your assessment result or final result is wrong please contact the course coordinator and provide the reason why you think your result is incorrect. Valid reasons for seeking a review of results include:
• You believe an error has occurred in the calculation of the grade; or,

• You believe the assessment did not comply with criteria published in the Course Guide; or,

• You believe the assessment did not comply with University Policies on Assessment (i.e. an error in process has occurred).

• Full details of the procedure (including appeals procedure) can be located at this RMIT site: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academic#assessment

Academic Integrity
Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship through respecting the work of others whilst having the freedom to build new insights, new knowledge and ideas. RMIT University upholds the values of academic integrity as fundamental to the scholarship undertaken by all members of its community. Whenever you refer to another person’s research or ideas (either by directly quoting or paraphrasing them) you must acknowledge your source.
If you are even in doubt about how to properly cite a reference, consult your lecturer or the academic integrity website: http://www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity
The RMIT library provides tools to assist with your referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/info-trek/referencing

Plagiarism and Collusion
Plagiarism and collusion constitute extremely serious academic misconduct, and are forms of cheating. You are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data, and oral presentations. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited. Plagiarism is not acceptable.
Examples of plagiarism include:
• Copying sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from one or more sources, whether published or unpublished, which could include but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc. without proper citation;
• Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation;
• Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences;
• Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source;
• Copying designs or works of art and submitting them as your original work;
• Copying a whole or any part of another student’s work; and
• Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
• Enabling Plagiarism: the act of assisting or allowing another person to plagiarise or to copy your own work is also an offence.
For further information, please see the RMIT Plagiarism Policy – http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=sg4yfqzod48g1 – and the RMIT Student Discipline Statute and Regulations - http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=11jgnnjgg70y

Plagiarism Software
The originality verification software Turnitin may be used in this course. For details, see: http://www.turnitin.com

Course Overview: Access Course Overview