Criminology: Theory and Practice
Overview
This unit of study aims to provide students with an overview of the discipline of criminology through a presentation of both the major theoretical models as well as the application of these models to a variety of criminal justice settings. Students will gain an understanding of the breadth of the field of criminology as well as an appreciation of the importance of theoretical models when developing research and programming within the criminal justice system.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Discriminate between various sociological and psychological theories of crime and criminal behaviour
- Understand the principles of criminology within the criminal justice system
- Identify and assess the ethical considerations of criminologists engaged in research, work, and/or community settings
- Describe different approaches to criminology in local and international environments, and within Indigenous settings
- Evaluate social scientific research methods employed by criminologists
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Independent Learning | 9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Individual | 0% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Essay | Individual | 35% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Examination | Individual | 45% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Quizzes | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
- Theoretical perspectives in criminology (including biological, psychological, sociological) 
- Defining and measuring crime 
- Australian criminal justice system 
- Research methods in criminology 
- Violent crimes 
- Property crimes 
- Crimes against the person 
- Enterprise crimes (white-collar, cyber-crime) 
- Organised crime 
- Public order crime
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.