Course Title: Research criminology and crime prevention for application to practice within justice environments
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2016
Course Code: JUST5712
Course Title: Research criminology and crime prevention for application to practice within justice environments
School: 365T Global, Urban and Social Studies
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6124 - Advanced Diploma of Justice
Course Contact: Irene Pagliarella, Program Manager
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4581
Course Contact Email: irene.pagliarella@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Michelle Noon
E: michelle.noon@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 80
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
Successful completion of, or demonstrated equivalence to, the following units of competency:
VU20861 Apply criminal law within justice environments
VU20862 Work with family violence contexts within justice environments
VU20863 Work with culturally diverse clients within justice environments
VU20864 Work with conflict resolution and mediation processes within justice environments
VU20865 Apply management and leadership within justice environments
And ONE of the following electives:
LGACOM406A Investigate alleged breaches of legislation and prepare documentation
CHCAOD402B Work effectively in the alcohol and other drugs sector
Course Description
In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to apply crime prevention principles and strategies across a range of justice environments. You will be required to research and evaluate criminology theory and body of knowledge for appropriate application to practice across a range of justice contexts.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VU20854 Research criminology and crime prevention for application to practice within justice environments |
Element: |
1. Research and review historical and current approaches to criminology |
Performance Criteria: |
.1 Key vocabulary and theoretical framework of criminology are researched, critically analysed and discussed. |
Element: |
2. Analyse crime in Victoria |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Nature, extent and patterns of crime internationally, in Australia and in Victoria are researched, compared and evaluated |
Element: |
3. Research and review crime prevention strategies for application to practice |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Application of victimology theory to crime prevention strategies is critically analysed and debated |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course, you will be able to:
• Research and critically analyse criminological theoretical framework and its application across a range of approaches to crime prevention
• Formulate and implement crime prevention strategies relevant to own justice environment
• Provide evidence of knowledge of criminology theoretical framework and its historical and contemporary application to crime prevention
• Provide evidence of knowledge of relevant international, Federal, State and local government legislative and statutory requirements and provisions
Details of Learning Activities
You will participate in a variety of learning activities in class. Your in class activities will incorporate simulated workplace scenarios, practical demonstrations and student-led group discussions that focus on problem-solving and knowledge building skills relevant to identifying and responding to applications of criminology and crime statistics. You will exemplify your contextualising of class topics, and validate your learning with in class participation and integrated synthesised activities that will be supported by extended topic research, readings and case studies.
Teaching Schedule
Week One: Introduction to the study of crime.
Discussion of course and expected outcomes,
Course Guides discussed and Assessment tasks distributed
Week Two: Early codes of Crime / The 18th Century Classical School
Micro exam
Week Three: 19th C positivist approach
Micro exam
Week Four: Late-19th C/early 20th C contributions
Micro exam
Week Five: Social and political approaches 1950s to now
Micro exam
Week Six: Newly emerging criminological theories
Micro exam
Week Seven: Validity of official crime statistics
Micro exam
Week Eight: Sources of crime statistics & Mad, bad or sad? Causes of crime & criminality
Summative Assessment
Week Nine: Typologies of crime
Summative assessment
Week Ten: Crimes against the person
Summative assessments- Oral group presentations
Week Eleven: Crimes against property, organized crime and public order crimes
Summative Assessments - Oral group presentations
Week Twelve: Victims
Week Thirteen Profiling
Week Fourteen: Crime Prevention
Week Fifteen: Crime prevention
Summative assessment due
Week Sixteen: Policy formation and summation
Week Seventeen: Revision
Week Eighteen: Revision
NOTE: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.
Attendance
It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain competency.
You are expected to attend all scheduled classes and some classes will have sessions that are compulsory to attend (please see individual course guides). If you cannot attend a class you should advise your RMIT Educator, as RMIT monitors all student attendance.
As a student, competency is demonstrated through both knowledge and practical skills relevant to the course content and within the classroom environment. Engagement with educators and other students is critical to you maximising learning opportunities and achieving satisfactory results. Participation in classroom discussion and activities will allow educators to apply observational assessment during role-plays, exercises and assignments and provide you with feedback.
Absence from class can seriously limit your ability to pass or achieve good results. You may be asked to attend a meeting to explain more than three absences from a subject and enter into a negotiated plan of action with your Educator. This meeting is recommended as an early intervention approach that may possibly identify any underlying issues which may be affecting your attendance and identify support that RMIT may be able to give you.
Clearly, non-attendance at an assessment will result in failure of that assessment. If your academic progress is reviewed, a good class attendance may be helpful in showing evidenceof your commitment to your studies in Justice.
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
There is not prescribed text for this subject. All readings will be provided in class or via the Blackboard. |
References
White, R. & Haines, F. (2000). Crime and criminology: an introduction. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. |
Other Resources
PowerPoint’s for the lectures will generally be made available AFTER the class workshop; however these are not a replacement for attending workshops. Workshops may have additional information, activities or visual material, which will not be available through blackboard.
It is essential that you access the Blackboard site at least once a week, as announcements and emails are considered an effective means of communication between educators and students.
Overview of Assessment
Assessments may incorporate a variety of methods including role plays, observations, lectures, tutorials, class discussion, reports, simulated scenarios, and audio-visual presentations.
Assessment |
Assessment Type |
Word limit or equivalent |
Assessment One |
Weekly micro-exams |
x 6 |
Assessment Two |
Major Assessment; 3 components: Statistics Assessment (10%) Essay (25%) Victimology Poster (10%) |
2500 words |
Assessment Three |
Group Presentation |
N/A |
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
A student charter http://www.rmit.edu.au/about/studentcharter summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions which are available for review online: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=c15i3ciaq8ca
Assessment Tasks
Formative Assessment Tasks:
Classroom lectures are designed for interactive group discussion as well as an opportunity for progressive feedback, in order to accommodate and adjust student learning and their level of understanding.
Summative Assessment Tasks:
1. Weekly micro-tests x 6 (30%)
Summative tests support the content discussed in classroom delivery. To assess weekly content of the history of criminology and the sociology of crime, short-answer examinations will be administered in class.
2. Major Assessment (3 Components)
Statistics assessment (10%)
An analysis of crime statistics will be delivered in the form of a take-home examination requiring a demonstration of your understanding and analysis of the validity of statistics.
Due Date: 13/5/2016
Essay (25%)
Students are to consider a criminal case in light of at least two distinct crime theories. Theories to be used are from class topics discussed earlier in the semester, including the early codes of crimes and 18th Century classical school, 19th Century positivist approach, late 19th Century to early 20th century contributions, social and political approaches from the 1950s to now, and newly emerging criminological theories. You will be provided a contemporary criminal case to apply theoretical perspectives. Further detail will be provided by Week 4.
Due Date: 31/3/2016
Victimology Poster (10%)
Students are to consider the victims of two criminal cases, and assess if they meet the criteria of Christie’s Ideal Victim. Posters should depict in theme the personal characteristics of ’victim’ and ’offender’, as well as the circumstances surrounding the crime, which influences society’s sympathy with the victim and giving them legitimate status
Due date: 31/5/2016
4. Group presentation (25%)
Class presentations are to be provided by all students as part of the assessment of learning outcomes related to Substantive areas of offending behaviour – the aetiology of crime.
Further detail will be provided by Week 3.
Small groups will be formed to research and present an outline and discussion of a particular crime or crime group, with a focus on describing and explaining, what it is (both legal and other definitions), offender profile, correlates, patterns, risk factors, rates, attributions for behavior, other issues or factors and a case study or studies.
Due Dates: 11th April, 13th April, 18th April and 20th April 2016
Assessment Matrix
This is available via MyRMIT/Studies
The assessments have been designed to cover all Learning Outcomes and will be graded in accordance with RMIT’s Mark Table which is as follows:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved - Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did not Submit for Assessment
Grades which apply to course delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment (not-graded)
CA Competency Achieved
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit For Assessment
Assessment Deadlines
Any due date for any assignment is to be considered a deadline. You can submit work at any time prior to the submission date, but it must be into the Administration office by close of business (5pm) of the day the submission is due.
Assessment Format
As a student of the Justice VE program, it is expected that you adhere to the following criteria regarding essays/research/reports;
1. For ADVANCED DIPLOMA each written assessment task/s – up to 2500 words, 6 academic references and ONE in-text citation per paragraph.
2. A paragraph is usually between 200 – 250 words.
3. A sentence is usually between 20 - 25 words.
4. American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing Style is the EXPECTED referencing style for the school of Criminal Justice (VE).
5. We highly recommend that all students download a copy of the APA Referencing Guide which is available on the Blackboard or purchase a Pocket Guide to APA style from the campus bookshop.
6. APA Referencing system is to be used and all in-text citations must be recorded according to APA standards.
7. An academic reference is a scholarly source (journal articles that are peer reviewed, a published book, an approved government or organisation website etc.).
8. Written reports, research projects or essays are to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and familiarity with the prescribed or negotiated topics
9. 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 address the issues raised in the chosen topic in a logical ordered and organised manner.
10. Written submissions must demonstrate appropriate preparation, reading and research.
11. 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.
12. All assignments to be submitted via the Drop Box (Building 37, level 2) and submitted via email to the Advanced Diploma email address to verify submission justice.ve.assignments@rmit.edu.au. Assessments must be submitted by 5pm (close of business).
13. Written assessments will also be submitted with a Turnitin Report attached (as instructed by your Educator).
Other Information
Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students.
Cover Sheet for Submissions
You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work, including online submissions. This signed sheet acknowledges that you are aware of implications of plagiarism.
Please refer to the following link for on-line submission statements;
http://www1.rmit.edu.au/teaching/technology/esubmission
Cover sheets do NOT form part of your word limit for written assessment tasks.
Assignment Submissions:
The submission of assessments on the due date is the responsibility solely of the student. Students should not leave assignment preparation until the last minute and must plan their workloads so as to be able to meet advertised or notified deadlines.
If you have not been granted an extension or special consideration, you need to submit any work that has been completed on the due date.
The penalty for assignments submitted late will be 10% of the maximum mark per day late or part thereof.
Weekends and holidays will attract the same penalty as weekdays.
Assignments that are late by 7 days or more will not be marked and will be awarded zero.
Attendance
It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.
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. Speak with your teacher or course coordinator regarding applying for an extension.
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://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration
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://www1.rmit.edu.au/library/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:
1. 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;
2. Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation;
3. Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences;
4. Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source;
5. Copying designs or works of art and submitting them as your original work;
6. Copying a whole or any part of another student’s work; and
7. Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
8. 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 Conduct Regulations – http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=r7a7an6qug93
Plagiarism Software
The originality verification software Turnitin may be used in this course. For details, see: http://www.turnitin.com
Complaints Procedure:
RMIT University is committed to providing a harmonious study and work environment for all students and staff. The University recognises your right to raise concerns about academic, administrative or support services without recrimination and has policies and procedures to assist in the resolution of complaints.
Most issues are resolved at the local level and you are encouraged to take steps to resolve your issue locally. The student complaint procedure details steps to take if your problem is not resolved or you believe the response you received is unreasonable.
Student Complaints Policy: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/policies/studentcomplaintspolicy
Student complaints Procedure: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=i1lexipvjt22
Student Complaints Form: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/v4ujvmyojugxz.pdf
Course Overview: Access Course Overview