Course Title: Work with young offenders in justice environments

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2017

Course Code: JUST5718

Course Title: Work with young offenders in 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

Sandra Reitano

Email: Sandra.Reitano@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 50

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 determine, implement and review ethical strategies for working with young offenders in the justice system.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VU20860 Work with young offenders in justice environments

Element:

1. Examine youth justice systems and provisions

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Legislation and inter-jurisdictional processes regarding trafficking of people are examined 2.2 Issues for justice workers in responding to refugees and victims of people trafficking are identified and debated 2.3 Responses to enforcement issues within own current justice context are determined in consultation with relevant people and practised

Element:

2. Respond to young offenders and children at risk within justice contexts

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Treatment programs and support services for young offenders and children at risk are identified and evaluated against client needs. 2.2 Supervision practices and strategies that are children and young people focused are determined and applied. 2.3 Prevention strategies for re-offending behaviours are determined and applied. 2.4 Key practice standards with youth justice are reviewed

Element:

3. Apply ethical practices that protect the rights of children and young people

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Protocols and duty of care compliance requirements for working with children and young people are identified and applied. 3.2 Confidentiality compliance requirement are strictly maintained. 3.3 Strategies for addressing and/or reporting ethical concerns about work practices around children and young people are developed in consultation with relevant people.

Element:

4. Monitor and review response strategies

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Services, support and resources are regularly monitored against stated requirements, objectives and obligations, and any necessary periodic adjustments implemented. 4.2 Outcomes are critically reviewed in consultation with relevant people, and where possible in conjunction with client, and findings documented according to organisational and legislative requirements. 4.3. Findings are used to inform future practice.

Learning Outcomes


On completion of the course, you will be able to:
• Develop and implement treatment and/or supervision strategies, for young offender clients within justice environments
• Apply key practice standards, relevant legislation and ethical requirements to development and implementation of strategies
• Monitor and review of implementation to order to make any necessary adjustments and to inform improved future practice
• Provide knowledge of current theories, approaches, debates and practices about effective and ethical responses to young offenders in justice contexts
• Provide knowledge of relevant legislative and statutory requirements
 


Details of Learning Activities

You will participate in a variety of learning activities (in class and out of class).  These may include the following;

  • class exercises to review discussions/lectures
  • practical demonstrations
  • analysis/critique of relevant reading material
  • group projects
  • peer learning
  • guest lecture/presentation
  • peer teaching and class presentations
  • group discussion
  • research
  • independent project based work
  • group activities/projects
  • ‘workshopping’ of student projects including peer/lecturer feedback


Teaching Schedule

Teaching Schedule

Week One: Overview of youth justice, course guide overview and assessments.

  • The age of criminal responsibility.
  • Doli Incapax and the differences between Adult and Youth Justice system.

Week Two: Theories of punishment and youth sentencing principles (Dr Marg Liddell)

  • Welfare vs. the Justice model.
  • Risk, needs and responsivity

Week Three: Sentencing hierarchies:

  • Sentencing principles.
  • Diversion and Rehabilitation: Guest lecturer (Chief Magistrate – TBA)

Week Four: Restorative justice:

  • Diversion and group conferencing - guest lecturers from the field (TBA)
  • Balancing risk versus offending
  • What makes an “effective youth justice system”.

Week Five: The Youth Justice system: community based units and youth justice centres (Guest speakers from the sector)

  • Country and metropolitan perspectives
  • Changes to the current system
  • Profiles of young people in the youth justice system
    • Cultural diversity and violent offending
    • Dual diagnosis and patterns of offending.

Week Six: Pre-Sentence Report writing and example.

  • PSR video/interview (Critical for Summative Assessment two)

Semester Break –

  • Summative Assessment One due end of week 6

Week Seven: The Victorian Child Protection System

  • Dual order clients
  • Education, social interaction - mitigating adverse childhood experiences.


Week Eight: Risk assessment of young people who self-injure: indicators and issues.

  • Summative Assessment Two Due : End of week Eight

Week Nine: Working with young people in the Youth Justice System – some comparisons (Guest Lecturer -TBA)

  • Advocacy and risk Management.
  • VONIY assessment tool

Week Ten: Working with trauma – Australian and Victorian perspectives of management of young offenders.

  • The Youth justice sector and management of offenders in custody.

Week Eleven: Youth Justice System and risk management: working with complex groups.

Week Twelve: A holistic approach: managing young people in the Youth Justice system. Where to from here?  What have we learnt? What do we need to do? How can we create change?

  • Summative Assessment Task Three due week 13 – VONIY & CSP

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE WEEKLY LECTURE PROGRAM MAY BE ALTERED AS REQUIRED

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 evidence of your commitment to your studies in Justice.

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

There is no prescribed text for this course. A recommended text is:
Juvenile Justice: Youth and Crime in Australia, 4th edition. Authors Cunneeen and White, Oxford University Press
All required readings and case studies will be available either:

Via My RMIT/Studies Blackboard
Handed out in class as a hard copy
Accessible by CD/DVD
Via the internet/assigned website
Accessible via the RMIT Library

 


Overview of Assessment

Assessments may incorporate a variety of methods including role plays, observations, lectures, tutorials, class discussion, reports, group/individual training workshops, and audio-visual presentations.


Assessment Tasks

The assessment activities in this course are:

Formative Assessment:

Students are required to visit a Children’s Court sitting and observe a Children’s Court matter. This task is to be completed outside of class time and will form part of your Summative Assessment One (Pre-Sentence Report).

Summative Assessments:
There are three Summative Assessment Tasks.

Task 1: Written Reflection on your Children’s Court visit (20%: 600 word) DUE WEEK 6 – end of semester break, Friday 11.59pm.

This written reflection report is related to your visit to the Children’s Court. – see assessment summary and the required template

Task 2: Pre-Sentence Report (40%) DUE WEEK 8, Friday 11.59pm.

Students will need to attend Week 6 to watch a video/interview regarding a client for the PSR completion. Students will be required to write a PSR (1500 words) on the client provided using the TEMPLATE/PROFORMA provided prior the Week 6 class.

Task 3 Client Assessment Plan Summary and Client Service Plan (CSP) and VONIY Total 40%. DUE WEEK 13,Friday 11.59PM.

Students will need to complete a VONIY Risk Assessment Tool & Assessment and Summary and CSP Goals on a client provided (1500 words). The templates for each of these tasks will be provided to students and must be completed as they appear.Further detailed information on the Pre-Sentence report and Client Service Plan + VONIY will be provided during lectures/workshops.

ALL REPORTS MUST BE IN REPORT FORMAT, USING SPECIFIED HEADINGS. YOU MUST NOT USE DOT POINTS.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FAILURE TO USE THE SPECIFIED HEADINGS WILL RESULT IN ZERO MARKS FOR EACH TASK WHERE YOU HAVE NOT COMPLIED.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS RE UPLOADING YOUR ASSESSEMENT TASK ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. All Assessment tasks will need to be uploaded onto the Blackboard Shell. No hard copy papers will be accepted.

2. You must ensure that you include your surname first then your first name, student number and program on each assessment task.

3. You must upload your assessment task using your surname then student number.

Students must achieve competency IN ALL assessmet tasks to pass this subject.

 

 


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 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.

For assignments 1 to 10 days late, a penalty of 10% (of the marks awarded) per day will apply. For assignments more than 10 days late, a penalty of 100% will apply. Weekend days (Saturday and Sunday) are considered when counting total late days for electronic submissions but not for hardcopy submissions.

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 (unresolved) – 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