Students

LAWS250 – Crime, Policy and Governance

2015 – S2 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Andrew Burke
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
18cp including (LAW109 or LEX101 or LEX102 or PICT101)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit will explore the dynamic area of public policy development in relation to crime. It will examine how governance frameworks (including legal and regulatory institutions) endeavour to regulate conduct by individuals and corporations, and how these frameworks aim to promote public interests and community welfare. Students will analyse the impact of various stakeholders in the criminal justice system on policy formulation, including in relation to corporate, environmental and moral crimes. They will be challenged to critically analyse real-world reform initiatives and to appreciate how criminological expertise and modern concepts in governance theory (such as reintegrative shaming, responsive regulation and restorative justice) are articulated in legal and policy-making forums.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Describe and critique how legal institutions and governance frameworks endeavour to regulate the conduct of individuals and corporations in relation to activities that impact on community welfare and the public interest.
  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
  • Communicate policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary research in criminology in the course of developing problem-solving skills, and identify the role played by these disciplines in influencing legal processes and policy-making forums.

General Assessment Information

Macquarie Law School Assessment Policy:

In the absence of a successful application for special consideration following a “Disruption to Studies”, late assessments will not be marked and will receive a grade of 0.

Word limits will be strictly applied.

Referencing should comply with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation unless otherwise stated.

All assessments require submission through Turnitin (only).

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Class Participation 20% On-Campus Session 18-19/9/2015
Theory Essay 30% 14 September 2015 9:00am
Report 50% 9 November 2015 9:00am

Class Participation

Due: On-Campus Session 18-19/9/2015
Weighting: 20%

Attendance at the On-Campus Session (OCS) is compulsory. You are required to participate in discussions, debates and any other activities. Brief readings & discussion questions will be posted to iLearn in advance. Discussions will involve applying the theoretical foundations provided by the lectures and readings to challenging hypothetical scenarios. Marks will be awarded for: demonstrated understanding of the course theory and themes, creativity and insight in applying that understanding to real-world examples, and enthusiasm.

Absence from the OCS must meet the criteria for Disruption to Studies and be approved by the Unit Convenor. Applications for Disruption to Studies are made online at ask.mq.edu.au

The Unit Convenor will raise any concerns about poor participation with the student involved. Students may be given an opportunity to submit remedial work where there are concerns about participation.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and critique how legal institutions and governance frameworks endeavour to regulate the conduct of individuals and corporations in relation to activities that impact on community welfare and the public interest.
  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
  • Communicate policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.

Theory Essay

Due: 14 September 2015 9:00am
Weighting: 30%

Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the theoretical principles canvassed in the Unit and apply these to recent current events. The essay topic will be posted to iLearn one week prior to the due date. (Word length:  1,500 words excluding bibliography)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and critique how legal institutions and governance frameworks endeavour to regulate the conduct of individuals and corporations in relation to activities that impact on community welfare and the public interest.
  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
  • Communicate policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary research in criminology in the course of developing problem-solving skills, and identify the role played by these disciplines in influencing legal processes and policy-making forums.

Report

Due: 9 November 2015 9:00am
Weighting: 50%

Students will be required to submit a research paper on an assigned topic which consolidates their learning in the unit.

(Word length:  2500 words excluding bibliography)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and critique how legal institutions and governance frameworks endeavour to regulate the conduct of individuals and corporations in relation to activities that impact on community welfare and the public interest.
  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
  • Communicate policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary research in criminology in the course of developing problem-solving skills, and identify the role played by these disciplines in influencing legal processes and policy-making forums.

Delivery and Resources

The compulsory On-Campus Session for external students will be on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th September. Please do not book flights or accommodation until the OCS is confirmed. If there are insufficient external enrolments to justify holding an OCS then alternative arrangements will be put in place.

This unit requires students to attend or audit online (through Echo360) a weekly lecture and attend a weekly tutorial.

In addition, students are required to access the Unit's iLearn page to review online content including assigned readings (available through e-reserve linked through iLearn) and pre-recorded lecture content (approx. 1 hour/week). Before you attend the first lecture you should have logged on to Ilearn and watched/listened to the assigned pre-recorded content (of approximately 1 hour).

Student workload, in accordance with university guidelines, is 3 hours per credit point per week (over a 15 week term), and can be estimated as follows:

22 hours - attendance of lectures and tutorials

55 hours - readings, review of online content and self-study

63 hours - assessment tasks

________

135 hours total

 

Students will also be required to use a computer to interact with online research databases and web-based research tools.  This unit's ilearn page will also contain additional lessons with multimedia content to facilitate learning. 

Unit Schedule

Week

Week Starts

Lectures

 

Assessment (see ilearn for weekly readings & tutorial assignments)

1

27/7/15

Introduction to Policy and the Public Interest

 

 

 

2

3/8/15

Why do we punish criminal offenders?

 

 

 

3

10/8/15

Responsive regulation

 

 

 

4

17/8/15

Restorative justice and reintegrative shaming

 

 

 

5

24/8/15

Environmental Law

 

 

 

6

31/8/15

Drug Court

 

 

 

7

7/9/15

Children's Court

 

 

 

 

14/9/15

Mid Semester Break

NB: OCS 18th & 19th September

 

Take home examination due 9am Monday 14th September

 

21/9/15

Mid Semester Break

 

 

8

28/9/15

Case study: drunk one-punch assaults & lockout laws

 

 

9

5/10/15

Public Holiday

Responsive regulation & live exports

NB Lecture will be pre-recorded and available on Echo.

 

 

 

 

10

12/10/15

Whistle-blowers: regulating the regulators

 

 

11

19/10/15

 The limits of responsive regulation - the Global Financial Crisis

 

 

 

12

26/10/15

Regulating international actors: whaling as a case study

 

 

 

13

2/11/15

Responsive regulation and unruly sports fans

 

NB Final Essay due Monday 9 November

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Class Participation

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Class Participation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and critique how legal institutions and governance frameworks endeavour to regulate the conduct of individuals and corporations in relation to activities that impact on community welfare and the public interest.
  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary research in criminology in the course of developing problem-solving skills, and identify the role played by these disciplines in influencing legal processes and policy-making forums.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Participation
  • Theory Essay
  • Report

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and critique how legal institutions and governance frameworks endeavour to regulate the conduct of individuals and corporations in relation to activities that impact on community welfare and the public interest.
  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Participation
  • Theory Essay
  • Report

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the impact of stakeholders on policy development and conduct stakeholder analysis.
  • Conduct interdisciplinary research in criminology in the course of developing problem-solving skills, and identify the role played by these disciplines in influencing legal processes and policy-making forums.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Participation
  • Theory Essay

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Communicate policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Participation
  • Theory Essay
  • Report

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse modern theories of governance (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming) and their application to public policy development in relation to crime.
  • Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Participation
  • Theory Essay
  • Report

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Class Participation