Criminal Justice: Australia and Japan (CRIM90033)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2025
About this subject
Overview
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A key issue for criminal justice is the challenge of responding to offenders with specialised needs arising from mental disorders, health problems, physical disability, and age. This subject examines the different approaches taken by criminal justice agencies in Australia and Japan in relation to the identification and assessment of such offenders are identified and assessed, available pathways through the justice system, and the programs and institutional settings that have been developed in response to their needs. The subject will be taught in Japan and will include sessions by Australian and Japanese academics or practitioners, with a planned visit to a Japanese criminal justice institution. Please note: Prior to travelling overseas, students are required to attend a half-day of preparatory seminars designed to introduce them to key facets of the Japanese criminal justice system (on-campus). Students must also attend a concluding review session on-campus upon return from Japan.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to demonstrate:
- An enhanced understanding of the Australian criminal justice system by virtue of comparison with a regional neighbour
- Acquisition of knowledge about a regional criminal justice system
- An understanding of new and innovative criminal justice strategies of possible benefit to Australia
- Comparative appreciation of the relationship between legal institutions and criminal justice agencies.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
An application process applies for this subject, the bulk of which is delivered as an overseas intensive for one week in Japan, with two on-campus sessions held before and after travel. Preference will be given to those students who have completed at least 6 months’ prior study in graduate-level Criminology, with an overall average of H2A.
For further information, please visit:
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
At least 6 months’ prior study in graduate-level Criminology
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: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Reflective assessment
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 30% |
Research essay
| 4 Weeks after the end of teaching | 70% |
| Hurdle requirement: Attendance hurdle requirement: As this is an Intensively-taught subject, Lecture/Seminar attendance is compulsory for all classes and regular class participation is expected. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
| Hurdle requirement: Late Penalty and Assessment hurdle requirement: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at five per cent (5%) of the possible marks available for the assessment task per day or part thereof. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass the subject. Each submitted assessment must be complete, constitute a genuine attempt to address the requirements of the task and will not be accepted after 20 University business days from the original assessment due date without written approval. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
Not available in 2025
Time commitment details
170 Hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
Please note:
An application process applies for this subject, the bulk of which is delivered as an overseas intensive for one week in Japan, with two on-campus sessions held before and after travel. Preference will be given to those students who have completed at least 6 months’ prior study in graduate-level Criminology, with an overall average of H2A.
Students who wish to apply to enrol in this subject please visit https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/students/overseas-experience#about for further information.
As the overseas component of this subject is delivered off-campus for one week during the semester 2 teaching period, students should ensure that their studies in other subjects will not be put at risk if their application to enrol in this subject is successful.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Recommended texts and other resources
Readings for the subject will be made available through the LMS.
In additional, the following texts provide useful background information:
Johnson, D.T. (2002) The Japanese Way of Justice, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Introduction, chs2, 6.
Leonardsen, D (2004) Japan As A Low-Crime Nation. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Steele, S. (2015) 'Proposal to Reform the Japanese Saiban'in Seido (Lay Judge) System to Exclude Drug-Related Cases' Australian Journal of Asian Law 16/1 Article 3: 1-19.
- Off-campus study
This subject has an overseas component
Please note: An application process applies for this subject, the bulk of which is delivered as an overseas intensive, with two on-campus sessions held before and after travel. Preference will be given to those students who have completed at least 6 months' prior study in graduate-level Criminology, with an overall average of H2A. As the overseas component of this subject is delivered off-campus for one week during the semester 2 teaching period, students should ensure that their studies in other subjects will not be put at risk if their applications to enrol in this subject are successful.
- Related Handbook entries
- Links to additional information
Last updated: 4 March 2025