Research and Criminal Justice Governance (CRIM90011)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
What does it mean for a criminal justice intervention to be effective? Why is it important to know? For whom? How does government emphasis on the impact of criminal justice programs affect the design and funding of programs? And what does this focus on effectiveness mean for research priorities and methods? This subject considers questions such as these in exploring how, why, and for whom criminal justice ‘evidence’ or ‘knowledge’ is produced. In this subject you will be asked to identify a particular criminal justice program or intervention (we will look at a range of examples), and to design an approach to discover whether or not it ‘works’ – thinking about how, why and for whom.
The subject is divided into three broad areas. First we will examine what ‘criminal justice governance’ actually is, what it means for criminal justice policy and practice, and the implications for ‘evidence’ about programs and interventions. In the second section we will explore different approaches to measuring effectiveness and gathering knowledge about criminal justice practices and programs. The last part will focus on different settings (e.g. prisons, policing) and subjects of criminal justice research (e.g. justice-involved young people), and the impact that different kinds of knowledge might have. Throughout, we will examine professional and political issues about the role and application of research in criminal justice, as well as ethical issues about engaging in research with vulnerable and offending populations.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should:
- have obtained knowledge of a range of evaluative assessments regarding the effectiveness of criminological interventions;
- have developed a framework for assessing the adequacy of criminological evaluations in terms of the questions being asked, the designed being employed, and the measures used in the evaluation.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should:
- have highly developed cognitive, analytical and problem-solving skills;
- have an advanced understanding of complex concepts and the ability to express them lucidly in writing and orally;
- have sophisticated awareness of cultural, ethnic and gender diversities and their implications;
- have an ability to plan work and to use time effectively.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Criminology at Undergraduate level.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
A class presentation | During the teaching period | 20% |
An assignment
| During the examination period | 80% |
| Hurdle requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject and regular class participation is expected. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Students will be asked to identify a particular criminal justice program or intervention, and to design an approach to discover whether or not it ‘works’ - its effectiveness - thinking about how, why and for whom.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours One 2-hour seminar per week over twelve weeks. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020
Time commitment details
Total 170 hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Specialisation (formal) Criminology Specialisation (formal) Criminology Informal specialisation 200 points Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) Informal specialisation PD-ARTS Criminology Specialisation (formal) Socio-Legal Studies Informal specialisation PD-ARTS Socio-Legal Studies Informal specialisation 100 Point Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) Specialisation (formal) Criminology - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 3 November 2022