Victims, Justice and the Law
Overview
The aim of this unit is to provide students with a critical understanding of the concept of 'justice' with a particular focus on victims of crime. This unit draws on interdisciplinary approaches from law, criminology and socio-legal studies to critically engage with the potentials and pitfalls of the law and legal practice on the experience of justice. Students are required to engage with current debates and issues in criminal law, to build understandings of the intersections between law, justice, victimology, power, race and gender.
Requisites
Rule
LAW10021 Introduction to Law
AND
LAW10024 Criminal Law and Process
OR
LAW10010 Introduction to Australian Law and Statutory Interpretation
AND
LAW10015 Criminal Law and Procedure
01-June-2025
05-October-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify understandings of justice, victims and the law
- Analyse theoretical and practical applications of law and justice
- Evaluate barriers to justice specific to vulnerable groups as victims of crime
- Conduct research on criminal justice issues using primary and secondary resources
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Online Lecture (asynchronous) |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Individual | 20 - 30% | 1,2,3 |
| Assignment | Individual | 40 - 60% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Assignment | Individual | 40 - 60% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- conceptions of justice
- procedural justice
- legal responses to gendered crime
- constructions of the ‘victim’
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.