Students

PICT8062 – The Crimes of the Powerful

2022 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Rolando Ochoa Hernandez
rolando.ochoa@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MSecStrategicStud or MIntell or MCrim or MCyberSec or MCTerrorism or GradCertSecStudCr or GradDipSecStudCr or MPICT or GradDipPICT or MPICTMIntSecSt or MIntSecStud or GradDipIntSecStud or MIntRel or GradDipIntRel or MIntBusMIntRel or MTransInterMIntRel or MCPICT or MCPICTMISS or GradDipCPICT or GradCertCPICT or GradCertISS or MSecStrategicStudMCrim or MSecStrategicStudMIntell or MSecStrategicStudMCyberSec or MSecStrategicStudMCTerrorism or MIntellMCrim or MIntellMCyberSec or MIntellMCTerrorism or MCyberSecMCTerrorism or MCyberSecMCrim or MCTerrorismMCrim or Master of Cyber Security Analysis or admission to BSecStudMCTerrorism or BSecStudMCrim or BSecStudMCyberSecAnalysis or BSecStudMIntell or BSecStudMSecStrategicStud or (10cps at 6000 level or 10cps at 8000 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit examines crimes committed by powerful individuals and institutions: white collar crimes, corporate crimes and state crimes. From the Nazi death camps of WWII, to the Bhopal and BHP Gulf oil spill environmental disasters of more recent decades, the most harmful crimes are not those committed by offenders on the 'street', but rather by individuals and organisations occupying the most influential and privileged positions in our societies. This unit reorients the criminological gaze upwards, away from traditional street offenders and towards the most powerful criminals who occupy corporate boardrooms, parliaments and military organisations. Students will explore contemporary examples of each of these types of offence, examine the characteristics of powerful offenders, and address why crimes of this magnitude often go unaddressed by both contemporary criminologists and our systems of criminal justice.

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: Demonstate a deep understanding of the problems of definition of the various forms of business, corporate, and State criminality.
  • ULO2: Evaluate the role of corporate and State criminality in the context of the social and political life.
  • ULO3: Demonstate an understanding of the forms of individual business or corporate and/or State crime, including such forms of financial crime, fraud, genocide and corruption.
  • ULO4: Outline the challenges involved in regulating, prosecuting and punishing these crimes from a global and local perspective.
  • ULO5: Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Particiation 10% No Throughout semester
Mid-Semester quiz 15% No Week 7
End of semester quiz 15% No Week 13
Final Essay 60% No Friday of week 12

Particiation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 8 hours
Due: Throughout semester
Weighting: 10%

 

Students will have to actively participate in the class and external forums as needed.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstate a deep understanding of the problems of definition of the various forms of business, corporate, and State criminality.
  • Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

Mid-Semester quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 15%

 

A quiz with questions from the readings of weeks 1-7

Due Friday of week 7

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstate a deep understanding of the problems of definition of the various forms of business, corporate, and State criminality.
  • Evaluate the role of corporate and State criminality in the context of the social and political life.
  • Demonstate an understanding of the forms of individual business or corporate and/or State crime, including such forms of financial crime, fraud, genocide and corruption.
  • Outline the challenges involved in regulating, prosecuting and punishing these crimes from a global and local perspective.
  • Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

End of semester quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 15%

 

A quiz with questions on the readings of weeks 8-13.

Due Friday of week 13.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstate a deep understanding of the problems of definition of the various forms of business, corporate, and State criminality.
  • Evaluate the role of corporate and State criminality in the context of the social and political life.
  • Demonstate an understanding of the forms of individual business or corporate and/or State crime, including such forms of financial crime, fraud, genocide and corruption.
  • Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

Final Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Friday of week 12
Weighting: 60%

 

Students will submit a 2,500 word essay. They choose a case of corporate or state crime and use it to illustrate and discuss the theoretical and empirical issues discussed in class.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstate a deep understanding of the problems of definition of the various forms of business, corporate, and State criminality.
  • Evaluate the role of corporate and State criminality in the context of the social and political life.
  • Demonstate an understanding of the forms of individual business or corporate and/or State crime, including such forms of financial crime, fraud, genocide and corruption.
  • Outline the challenges involved in regulating, prosecuting and punishing these crimes from a global and local perspective.
  • Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

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

DELIVERY AND RESOURCES

THE UNIT CONSISTS OF 13 ONE-HOUR LECTURES.

STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND/VIEW THE LECTURE.

PARTICIPATION IS EXPECTED OF ALL STUDENTS IN LECTURES AND TUTORIALS.

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

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.  

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or

title page.

Word limits can deviate by 10%

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