Students

PICT202 – Policing and Crime

2018 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Vincent Hurley
Level 2 Australian Hearing Hub
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
12cp at 100 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit introduces students to policing and the role and purpose of the police in crime prevention and social control. It will explore the history of the police, how officers are trained, as well as critical issues such as corruption and the use of force. The unit will also compare the structure of policing and criminal organisations, and explore contemporary challenges such as policing transnational crime.

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 the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;
  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Paper summary 20% No 11.55pm Sunday, 19th August
Mid-semester quiz 10% No Open 8am, 10th Sept
Research essay plan 10% No 11.55pm Tuesday 3rd October
End-of-semester quiz 10% No Open Sunday, 4th Nov
Research essay 50% No 11.55pm Sunday, 11th November

Paper summary

Due: 11.55pm Sunday, 19th August
Weighting: 20%

The paper summary is the first assessment students will be required to complete, and will help develop foundational skills for subsequent research. A paper summary requires conducting independent research. You will be given an article (pdf in ilearn) to read. Students will then be required to write a 500 word summary and review of the paper with a minimum of 5 scholarly books, journal articles or book chapters to use in support of your analysis/summary of the article.  


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;
  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;

Mid-semester quiz

Due: Open 8am, 10th Sept
Weighting: 10%

This is the first assessed online quiz and will cover the master lecture and reading material from modules 1 - 6 inclusive.

The quiz is timed & goes for 20 minutes. 

There are 20 random questions to answer

You can only attempt the quiz once (1). 

The quiz opens 8am on Sunday 10th September and finishes Sunday the 16th September. You can take the quiz anytime that suits you within this one week period.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;

Research essay plan

Due: 11.55pm Tuesday 3rd October
Weighting: 10%

The research essay plan is intended to provide structure for the research essay due at the end of the semester. The plan should include an outline of the topics that will be covered in the essay, where in the essay each topic will be located, as well as at least 5 references in total relevant to the topics. Students will receive feedback on their essay plan in time to help complete their final research essay.

There will be 4 essay topics to choose from. You are to pick 1 topic. The specific questions will be listed in ilearn. But the general topics are;

Police Culture

Police Use of Force

Police Corruption

Policing Strategies

 

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;
  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

End-of-semester quiz

Due: Open Sunday, 4th Nov
Weighting: 10%

This is the final assessed online quiz and will cover the master lecture and reading material from modules 7 - 12 inclusive.

As with the previous quiz, this one is also timed, going for 20 minutes in which you have to answer 20 qestions. 

You can only attempt the quiz once (1). 

The quiz opens 8am on Sunday 4th November and finishes Sunday the 11 November. You can take the quiz anytime that suits you within this one week period.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;

Research essay

Due: 11.55pm Sunday, 11th November
Weighting: 50%

The research essay is the major piece of work for the semester. Students are required to select 1 of 4 research questions, conduct in-depth research and construct a well framed, critical argument. Essays should be well supported by scholarly research and interact with relevant policing theories. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;
  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

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.
  • In most cases students are required to attempt and submit all major 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 of up to one week are at the discretion of the unit convener or nominated delegate such as a tutor.  Any requests for extensions must be before the due date for the submission of the assessment task.  Extensions beyond one week are subject to the university’s Disruptions Policy

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 

Unit Schedule

Week   1

Unit Guide & Brief History of Policing

Week   2 

Police & Policing. What's the difference?

Week   3

 Police Use of Force. The good and the bad

Week   4

 Police Training & Culture. Is police culture bad?

Week   5

 Police Corruption. What's noble cause corruption?

Week   6

Police Strategies. What are they?

Week   7

 The Pluralisation of Policing. The 'WHAT' of policing?

Week   8

 Policing Terrorism

Week   9

 Organised Crime. What is it actually?

Week  10 

 Transnational Organised Crime. Human Trafficking

Week  11 

Transnational Organised Crime. Counterfeit medicines & the impact on global health

Week  12

 Policing the Environment on land and at sea

Week  13 

Q & A. Essay guidance for your research essay.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/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

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:

Learning outcomes

  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Research essay plan
  • Research essay

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:

Learning outcomes

  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Paper summary
  • Mid-semester quiz
  • Research essay plan
  • End-of-semester quiz
  • Research essay

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Paper summary
  • Research essay plan
  • Research essay

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 the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;
  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Paper summary
  • Mid-semester quiz
  • Research essay plan
  • End-of-semester quiz
  • Research essay

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

  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Research essay plan
  • Research essay

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

  • Research, locate and summarise academic texts;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Paper summary
  • Research essay plan
  • Research 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 outcomes

  • Describe the historical development of contemporary policing, as well as police structures, management, powers, as well as reform and accountability mechanisms;
  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Paper summary
  • Research essay plan
  • Research essay

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

  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Research essay plan
  • Research essay

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:

Learning outcomes

  • Engage in informed, scholarly policing-related debate with staff and fellow students;
  • Critically explore contemporary issues in policing, including: training and culture; strategies; ethics, corruption and accountability; and the use of force.

Assessment tasks

  • Research essay plan
  • Research essay

Changes since First Published

Date Description
25/05/2018 I found two spelling mistakes! Sorry about that! Kind regards, Vince