Students
LAWS250 – Crime, Policy and Governance
2017 – S2 External
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Andrew Burke
W3A-514
By email
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| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(18cp at 100 level or above) including (LAW109 or LEX101 or LEX102 or PICT101 or PICT103)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| 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.
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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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- 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
In the absence of a successful application for special consideration due to a disruption to studies, any assessment task submitted after its published deadline will not be graded and will receive a mark of zero. Applications for a Disruption to Studies are made via ask.mq.edu.au and must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Students should refer to the Disruption to Studies policy for complete details of the policy and a description of the supporting documentation required.
Word limits will be strictly applied and work above the word limit will not be marked.
All assessments in the unit are to be submitted through Turnitin. Plagiarism detection software is used in this Unit.
All assessments must be appropriately referenced, applying the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (3rd ed). The Guide is available here <http://mulr.law.unimelb.edu.au/go/AGLC3>.
Headings and subheadings should be used where appropriate.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Participation | 20% | No | On-Campus Session 18-19th Sept |
| Online quiz | 10% | No | Monday 4th September 5:00pm |
| Short-answers assignment | 20% | No | Monday 25th September 9:00am |
| Research Report | 50% | No | Sunday 12th November 11:59pm |
Class Participation
Due: On-Campus Session 18-19th Sept
Weighting: 20%
A program for the OCS will be posted to iLearn in advance. Activities will be based upon the tutorial exercises, which involve applying the theoretical foundations provided by the lectures and readings to challenging hypothetical scenarios. Marks will be awarded for: demonstrated understanding of the Unit's theory and themes, creativity and insight in applying that understanding to real-world examples, and enthusiasm.
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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
- Communicate policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.
Online quiz
Due: Monday 4th September 5:00pm
Weighting: 10%
This early assessment will test students' knowledge of the vital first 5 weeks of the Unit.
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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
Short-answers assignment
Due: Monday 25th September 9:00am
Weighting: 20%
Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the theoretical principles canvassed in the Unit and apply these to recent current events. The topic will be posted to iLearn at least one week prior to the due date. (Word length: 1,200 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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- 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.
Research Report
Due: Sunday 12th November 11:59pm
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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- 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
This Unit requires students to attend or listen online (through Echo360) to a weekly lecture.
In addition, students are required to access the Unit's iLearn page to review online content including assigned readings, pre-recorded lecture content (approx. 1 hour/week) and tutorial readings / discussion questions. Before you listen to the first lecture you should have logged on to iLearn and watched/listened to the assigned pre-recorded content (of approximately 1 hour).
For external students, the on-campus session is compulsory. Students who are unable to attend must apply for a disruption to studies. If that application is accepted, alternative work will be set in lieu of on-campus attendance
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:
24 hours - attendance of lectures and tutorials
55 hours - readings, review of online content and self-study
63 hours - assessment tasks
________
142 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
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Week |
Week Starts |
Lectures |
Tutorials |
Assessment (see ilearn for weekly readings & tutorial assignments) |
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1 |
31/07/17 |
Introduction to LAWS250 |
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2 |
7/8/17 |
What is the point of punishment? |
Crime, stakeholders and the public interest |
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3 |
14/8/17 |
Responsive regulation |
Responsive regulation and academic honesty |
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4 |
21/8/17 |
Restorative justice |
Restorative justice |
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5 |
28/8/17 |
Reintegrative shaming |
Reintegrative shaming in practice |
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6 |
4/9/16 |
Environmental crime |
Reparative justice |
Online quiz deadline Monday 4th September 5:00pm |
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7 |
11/9/17 |
Drug Court |
Drug addiction, crime & policy |
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18/9/17 |
Mid Semester Break |
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On-Campus Session Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th September. The on-campus session is compulsory. Students who are unable to attend must apply for a disruption to studies. If that application is accepted, alternative work will be set in lieu of on-campus attendance |
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25/9/17 |
Mid Semester Break |
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Short answers assignment due 9am Monday 25th September |
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8 |
2/10/17 |
Children's Court |
Children, criminal responsibility & restorative justice |
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9 |
19/10/17 |
Alternative approaches to address the over-incarceration of Indigenous Australians |
Indigenous Australians and restorative justice |
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10 |
16/10/17 |
Hate speech / Free speech |
Regulating hate speech |
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11 |
23/10/17 |
The limits of restorative justice |
Domestic violence |
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12 |
30/10/17 |
The limits of responsive regulation |
Are some industries beyond regulation? |
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13 |
6/11/17 |
Regulation by non-state actors |
Scratch card quiz |
Final Essay due Sunday 12th November 11:59pm |
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.
Macquarie Law School Assessment Policy:
In the absence of a successful application for special consideration due to a disruption to studies, any assessment task submitted after its published deadline will not be graded and will receive a mark of zero. Applications for a Disruption to Studies are made via ask.mq.edu.au and must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Students should refer to the Disruption to Studies policy for complete details of the policy and a description of the supporting documentation required.
Word limits will be strictly applied and work above the word limit will not be marked.
All assessments in the unit are to be submitted through Turnitin. Plagiarism detection software is used in this unit.
Referencing should comply with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 3rd edition.
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
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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- 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
- Online quiz
- Short-answers assignment
- Research 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.
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
Assessment tasks
- Class Participation
- Online quiz
- Short-answers assignment
- Research 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 outcome
- 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
- Short-answers assignment
- Research Report
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
- Short-answers assignment
- Research 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
- Learn, analyse and apply modern theories of criminal justice (restorative justice, responsive regulation and reintegrative shaming).
- Critique current policy initiatives in relation to crime through the application of established theoretical frameworks.
Assessment tasks
- Class Participation
- Short-answers assignment
- Research Report
Changes from Previous Offering
An additional assessment task, an online quiz, has been added. The length of the first written assessment has been reduced to maintain an approximately similar assessment workload.
The Unit Schedule has been changed in two ways. There is now a full week on reintegrative shaming, which was previously combined with the week on restorative justice. Secondly, there is new focus upon the applicability of the Unit themes to the ongoing problem of high rates of Indigenous incarceration.