Students

PICT8089 – Applied Criminology

2022 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Rolando Ochoa Hernandez
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MCrim or MSecStrategicStudMCrim or MIntellMCrim or MCyberSecMCrim or MCTerrorismMCrim or (40cp in PICT units at 8000 level or above including (PICT888 or PICT8088)) or admission to BSecStudMCrim
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit offers an invaluable scholarly perspective to analyse the effectiveness of contemporary criminal justice practice and policies. This unit enables students to develop a criminological understanding of the operation of various facets of the criminal justice system, particularly police, courts and corrective services. Students will critically evaluate crime reduction and prevention strategies currently employed both in Australia and overseas, and will formulate practical and effective solutions to real-world contemporary crime problems. This includes using official crime information and data to present and report on policy outcomes and agendas. Students will be able to critically understand the structure and functioning of the criminal justice system, evaluate criminal justice policies, design and develop crime prevention and reduction strategies.

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:

  • ULO1: Critically analyse, evaluate and compare a range of applied criminological practices andpolicies
  • ULO2: Apply a synthesised understanding of contemporary criminology theories to explain the development of criminal issues of domestic or transnational significance
  • ULO3: Employ independent research skills and disciplinary knowledge to evaluate domestic andtransnational criminal issues
  • ULO4: Effectively communicate advanced disciplinary knowledge in both written and oralformats
  • ULO5: Effectively analyse and evaluate national and international criminal justice policy

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Data Critique 25% No Friday of week 4 before 11:55 pm
Policy Brief 25% No Friday of week 8 before 11:55 pm
Essay 40% No Friday of week 12 before 11:55 pm
Participation 10% No Throughout session

Data Critique

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Friday of week 4 before 11:55 pm
Weighting: 25%

A detailed critique of a government report (eg. Illicit Drug Data Report). The report is provided by the lecturer and the students proceed to use their analytical skills to provide a well grounded assessment of the report.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse, evaluate and compare a range of applied criminological practices andpolicies
  • Employ independent research skills and disciplinary knowledge to evaluate domestic andtransnational criminal issues
  • Effectively communicate advanced disciplinary knowledge in both written and oralformats

Policy Brief

Assessment Type 1: Non-academic writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Friday of week 8 before 11:55 pm
Weighting: 25%

Student write a policy brief on a policy of their choosing. This is aimed at non-academic audiences and hones their non-academic writing skills.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse, evaluate and compare a range of applied criminological practices andpolicies
  • Apply a synthesised understanding of contemporary criminology theories to explain the development of criminal issues of domestic or transnational significance
  • Employ independent research skills and disciplinary knowledge to evaluate domestic andtransnational criminal issues
  • Effectively communicate advanced disciplinary knowledge in both written and oralformats
  • Effectively analyse and evaluate national and international criminal justice policy

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Friday of week 12 before 11:55 pm
Weighting: 40%

A major (3,000 word) essay on a topic of the student's choosing is produced.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse, evaluate and compare a range of applied criminological practices andpolicies
  • Apply a synthesised understanding of contemporary criminology theories to explain the development of criminal issues of domestic or transnational significance
  • Employ independent research skills and disciplinary knowledge to evaluate domestic andtransnational criminal issues
  • Effectively communicate advanced disciplinary knowledge in both written and oralformats
  • Effectively analyse and evaluate national and international criminal justice policy

Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Throughout session
Weighting: 10%

In class and online participation. Internal students are expected to discuss relevant topics in class. Every week a series of questions/materials will be posted on the Ilearn platform for external/online students to discuss on the forum. This will be moderated by the unit convenor.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse, evaluate and compare a range of applied criminological practices andpolicies
  • Apply a synthesised understanding of contemporary criminology theories to explain the development of criminal issues of domestic or transnational significance
  • Effectively communicate advanced disciplinary knowledge in both written and oralformats
  • Effectively analyse and evaluate national and international criminal justice policy

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

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, participating in Ilearn discussion forums 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.
  • Information about IT used at Macquarie University is available at  http://students.mq.edu.au/it_services/

 

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 Special Consideration Policy. Extensions will not be granted by unit conveners or tutors, but must be lodged through Special Consideration: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

 

 

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments - e.g. quizzes, online tests.

 

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: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
  • In accordance with the Grade Appeal Policy, individual works are not subject to regrading.

 

STAFF AVAILABILITY

  • Department staff will endeavour 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

1. Introduction to the course themes

2. Data critique and the policy brief

3. Evidence-based policy

4. Policing

5. The Courts

6. Corrections

7. Alternatives to the CJS

8. The War on Drugs

9. The War on Terror

10. The simulation

11. Social Harm

12. Reading week

13. The Future and Finale

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.


Unit information based on version 2022.02 of the Handbook