Development, Developmental Disability and Offending
Overview
This unit provides students with a comprehensive understanding of age-related issues (from childhood, adolescence, adulthood and ageing), as well as an overview of the influence developmental disabilities, such as Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD that are important to the assessment and management of offenders’ behaviour. The unit will enable students to recognise and evaluate the role of these different phenomena that influence offending behaviour according to disability status, and help students develop their skills in responding effectively to the needs of clients accordingly.
Requisites
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Assess developmental factors that influence offending behaviour throughout the lifespan
- Explain the impact of developmental disability on risk for offending behaviour
- Compare the impact of developmental disabilities on offending trajectory, compared to typical lifespan development
- Evaluate current methods of assessment and management of offenders with developmental disabilities
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Workshop | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Various | 4.00 | 12 weeks | 48 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Individual Study | 7.00 | 12 weeks | 84 |
| TOTAL | 144 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Analysis | Individual | 40% | 1,2,4 |
| Case Vignette | Individual | 20% | 1,2 |
| Quizzes | Individual | 40% | 2,3 |
Content
- Offending trajectory across the lifespan
- Intellectual disability
- Dual disability
- Acquired Brain Injury
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and other disorders
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.