Students

PICT843 – International Policing Systems

2017 – S1 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Garry Dobson
Contact via via iLearn
by appointment
Lecturer
Vincent Hurley
Contact via via iLearn
by appointment
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MCrim or MPICT or MCPICT or PGDipPICT or GradDipPICT GradDipCPICT or PGCertPICT or GradCertPICT or GradCertCPICT or MPICTMIntSecSt or MCPICTMIntSecSt or MIntSecStud or GradDipIntSecStud
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Historically, policing and law enforcement has been a localised function, reflecting the customs, practices and traditions of an identifiable community. The fact that there are still less than 10 policing organisations in the western world with a staffing component of more than 10,000 yet a policing population that numbers in the millions only serves to reinforce the perspective that even in the modern context policing has a local community based focus. However, that is not the case in developing and 3rd world countries. These are characterised by large centralised militaristic organisations that have a greater focus on order and status quo than in engagement and partnerships. This unit provides students with the opportunity to investigate law enforcement and policing options with respect to the influences of social systems, legal systems, economic development, conflict and globalisation of crime. Students will develop an understanding of the advantages/disadvantages of current systems, the possible impacts of future developments and the impact of globalisation on law enforcement. As part of that understanding, a select number of specific current, key international issues will be reviewed.

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:

  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

General Assessment Information

Please note that in order to qualify for a minimum of a passing grade in this Unit you are required to submit an assessment for each of the identified assessment tasks as published on the iLearn site.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Quiz No 1 5% No Week 4
Minor Assignment 20% No Due end of week 7
Major Assignment 40% No Due end of Week 11
Quiz No 2 35% No Week 13

Quiz No 1

Due: Week 4
Weighting: 5%

Online quiz relating to weeks 1 - 4 of the Unit. Refer to iLearn for details


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed

Minor Assignment

Due: Due end of week 7
Weighting: 20%

Refer to iLearn system for details


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Major Assignment

Due: Due end of Week 11
Weighting: 40%

Refer to iLearn system for details


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Quiz No 2

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 35%

Online quiz relating to weeks 5 - 13 of the Unit. Refer to iLearn for details.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY AND RESOURCES

 

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

  • You should spend an average of 12 hours per week on this unit. This includes listening to lectures prior to seminar or tutorial, reading weekly required materials as detailed in iLearn, and preparing assessments.
  • Internal students are expected to attend all seminar or tutorial sessions, and external students are expected to make significant contributions to on-line activities.
  • Students are required to attempt and submit all assessment tasks in order to pass the unit.

 

 

REQUIRED READINGS

  • The citations for all the required readings for this unit are available to enrolled students through the unit iLearn site, and at Macquarie University's library site.  Electronic copies of required readings may be accessed through the library or will be made available by other means.

 

 

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

  • Computer and internet access are essential for this unit. Basic computer skills and skills in word processing are also a requirement.
  • This unit has an online presence. Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/
  • Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

 

SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • All text-based assessment tasks are to be submitted, marked and returned electronically.  This will only happen through the unit iLearn site. 
  • Assessment tasks must be submitted as a MS word document by the due date.
  • Most assessment tasks will be subject to a 'TurnitIn' review as an automatic part of the submission process.
  • The granting of extensions is subject to the university’s Disruptions Policy. Extensions will not in normal circumstances be granted by unit conveners or tutors, but must be lodged through wellbeing.

 

 

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • If an assignment is submitted late, 5% of the available mark will be deducted for each day (including weekends) the paper is late.
  • For example, if a paper is worth 20 marks, 1 mark will be deducted from the grade given for each day that it is late (i.e. a student given 15/20 who submitted 4 days late will lose 4 marks = 11/20).
  • The same principle applies if an extension is granted and the assignment is submitted later than the amended date.

 

 

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS

  • Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or title page.
  • Word limits can generally deviate by 10% either over or under the stated figure.
  • If the number of words exceeds the limit by more than 10%, then penalties will apply. These penalties are 5% of the awarded mark for every 100 words over the word limit. If a paper is 300 words over, for instance, it will lose 3 x 5% = 15% of the total mark awarded for the assignment. This percentage is taken off the total mark, i.e. if a paper was graded at a credit (65%) and was 300 words over, it would be reduced by 15 marks to a pass (50%).
  • The application of this penalty is at the discretion of the course convener.

 

REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER

  • Macquarie University operates a Grade Appeal Policy in cases where students feel their work was graded inappropriately.

 

STAFF AVAILABILITY

  • Department staff will endeavor to answer student enquiries in a timely manner. However, emails or iLearn messages will not usually be answered over the weekend or public holiday period.
  • Students are encouraged to read the Unit Guide and look at instructions posted on the iLearn site before sending email requests to staff.

 

Unit Schedule

  Weekly schedule:

 

 

Week 1

Introduction, Definitions and Context:

This session is designed to set the direction for the coming semester, introducing the basic concepts of policing and law enforcement systems. This is a critical session as it lays out the framework for analysis of policing and law enforcement systems, giving context to how the unit fits with the other units in the policing stream.

 

Week 2

Distinguishing Policing Systems:

Policing systems may be described as falling within two discrete areas of analysis, Deviance Control (rule compliance) or Civil Order Maintenance (peace and good order). Whilst these 2 extremes are useful for analytical purposes, the reality is that most police forces adopt elements of both. Added to this is the “force” or “service” argument with respect to the strategies employed. In this session we will examine a variety of policing systems to gain a better appreciation of their relative strengths and weaknesses.

 

Week 3

Impact of Legal Systems:

One of the basic tenets of policing is law enforcement. On an international scale, there are several key legal systems that define the legislative base upon which policing services are delivered. Whilst the delivery of policing services in a variety of contexts will be the subject of coming sessions, this session will provide an opportunity to analyse the relative strengths and weaknesses of the 4 major legal systems (common law, civil, socialist and religious) as well as gain an appreciation of issues of International Law that will be relied upon when canvassing issues in later sessions.

 

Week 4

Democratic Policing:

Scholars who advocate democratic policing have identified several tenets that are fundamental to democratic policing, such as the rule of law, accountability to the public, open decision making, minimal use of force, involvement of public in policing, maximum respect for human rights, and internal democracy in the organization. This session will examine how the most visible element of government authority, policing/law enforcement, is conducted within the context of a functioning democracy.

 

Week 5

Authoritarian Policing:

The provision of law enforcement in countries that embrace an authoritarian perspective brings with it a unique set of challenges. Notwithstanding the fall of the Berlin Wall and the impact that has had on social and economic systems across the former eastern-bloc, there remain many examples of authoritarian governments and their application of policing authority to control the population. This session will examine the systems of law enforcement and policing employed in some of those countries with a view to providing a contrast with other social systems.

 

Week 6

Religious/Cultural Policing:

The emergence of fundamentalism as a social order has been gaining momentum, particularly in recent decades with the rise of Islamic countries, but that is not the only example of accommodating religion/culture when delivering punishment/justice. In Australia, aboriginal communities are looking to apply traditional law solutions to current problems. In the United States and Canada, native laws are being applied to first nation’s people. In Africa, tribal legal systems are utilised to administer justice. This session will analyse a number of examples of religious and cultural policing environment, with a view to providing students with a greater understanding of the issues impacting on law enforcement from both an international and local perspective.

 

Week 7

Policing in Developing Countries:

Countries across Africa, Asia and to a certain extent South America are emerging as economic forces, principally through resource development. As their financial stability improves, the demands of the populace for greater equity both in terms of wealth acquisition and treatment by public authorities will intensify. This in turn will impact on the style and system of law enforcement that is adopted. In this session, we will examine first from an historical perspective the transition of law and order practices in countries that have moved from 2nd and 3rd world status to 1st world status and then look at current examples where that same transition is taking place.

 

Week 8

Policing in Failed or Failing States:

As the World Order adjusts for emerging nations, there is a similar need to adjust for declining nations and this session will look at some of the factors, from a law and order perspective that would benefit from analysis from our perspective. Across the Middle East and North Africa, in some South/Latin American States and even in some European countries the authority of the presiding governments is in decline. The populace is agitating for change as living conditions continue to fall. Not yet on the brink of civil war but suffering from a continual deterioration in public amenity and safety, our analysis of the changes in law enforcement strategy and activity will prove instructive.

 

Week 9

Policing in Conflict Zones:

The nature of human interaction is such that conflict will always be present somewhere. In times where some form of warfare takes place, there is an expectation that the United Nations will assume some form of responsibility for returning the conflict zones to a more secure footing. Of necessity, in the post-military intervention phase, this will generally involve the construct of a civilian peacekeeping/law and order force, comprised of civilian police officers and private contractors who will be responsible for installing a system of safety, security and law and order that will offer stability and equity to the general populace. This session will look at previous and current examples of law enforcement systems installed in countries where conflict has occurred.

 

Week 10

Piracy:

The issue of piracy has been present for centuries with, in a sense, one of the first identified organised crime groups patrolling the seas looking to relieve merchant vessels of their cargo. In the modern context, the issue of piracy has become less about the acquisition of the property and more about the extortion of the property owners by way of ransoming the cargo. None the less, the basic philosophy of piracy remains unchanged. There are a number of hotspots internationally where this issue is centred, the most notable being the Horn of Africa where cargo ships, oil tankers and even passenger ships have been taken hostage, valuables taken and ransoms paid for return of control to the crew. The prevention, detection and investigation processes relating to piracy are significant and elaborate, requiring partnership activities between military, public police, government agencies and private contractors. The use of intelligence and technology to track pirates and potential targets makes this a most challenging law enforcement environment. All of this is compounded by the “law of the seas” where sovereign countries and international law collide. This session will examine some of the critical issues around law enforcement using piracy as the context.

 

Week 11

Globalisation and its Potential Impacts:

Organised crime is no longer the purview of localised or even regional gangs. The advent of technology, mobility and hierarchy have not just made the global community more compact, but the crime community more global. Police forces around the world are committing ever increasing resources to international crime mileaux. The challenge for the law enforcement community and their respective governments is to develop enforceable strategies and processes that can impact on the activities of a group who may be operating in one country but organised in another. The need for international partnerships, systems and legislation all form part of any prospective system to prevent globally driven crime. This session will look at some of the critical issues of the globalisation of crime.

Week 12

Human Trafficking:

The issue of trafficking in people has grown in significance dramatically over the past decade. What was once generally considered a relatively isolated activity is now a global crime problem as people of all ages, but particularly adolescents and children are moved from one country to another not only as part of a criminal act but also to engage in other criminal acts once relocated. The challenges for the law enforcement community are significant and complex, with operational, legislative, economic and cultural issues all impacting on the ability of the authorities to prevent these types of crimes from occurring. This session will examine the volume, type and intent of human trafficking together with an assessment of the strategies being used and developed to combat its occurrence.

Week 13

Future Directions:

This session is dedicated to an exploration of the critical issues for law enforcement from an international perspective. As legal systems continue to distil and criminal activities migrate beyond jurisdictional borders, what direction will law enforcement organisations go in? What scope for development is there to gain the best of both public and private organisational capabilities?  

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_2016.html

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

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

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

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Assessment task

  • Major Assignment

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Assessment tasks

  • Quiz No 1
  • Minor Assignment
  • Major Assignment
  • Quiz No 2

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Assessment tasks

  • Quiz No 1
  • Minor Assignment
  • Major Assignment
  • Quiz No 2

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Assessment tasks

  • Quiz No 1
  • Minor Assignment
  • Major Assignment
  • Quiz No 2

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critique the theories that underpin the development of policing systems around the world
  • Analyse the major forms of policing systems in use globally, with the ability to compare and contrast the merits of each
  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale
  • Examine the strategies used to meet the contemporary challenges confronting international policing authorities

Assessment tasks

  • Minor Assignment
  • Major Assignment
  • Quiz No 2

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Distinguish the socio/economic/political factors that determine how policing systems are employed
  • Analyse specific contemporary challenges that impact on policing systems on a global scale

Assessment task

  • Major Assignment