JSB272 Theories of Crime
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | JSB272 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | 96 Credit Points of Completed Study |
| Antirequisite(s): | JSN113 |
| Equivalent(s): | JSB231, JSB018 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $2,040 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $957 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,024 |
| International unit fee | $4,224 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | JSB272 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96 credit points of study |
| Equivalent: | JSB231, JSB018 |
| Anti-requisite: | JSN113 |
| Coordinator: | Belinda Carpenter | b.carpenter@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Criminology is a multi-disciplinary field and this is reflected in the diversity of theoretical approaches, which draw on various sciences, psychology, sociology, philosophy and politics. Theory is typically offered as distinct from methods of research; however, together they provide the foundation for policy and practice. The unit provides an analytical framework in order to critically assess the epistemological claims and justifications found in criminological theory.
A range of criminological explanations and theories of crime are explored: classicism/neo-classicism; biological and psychological positivism; anomie; strain theory; the Chicago school; labelling theory; feminist criminology; Marxism; critical criminology; new right theory; left realism; and cultural criminology. The course stresses the relevance and application of theory, examining how theory 'works' (or 'fails') in practice.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse diverse theories of crime and deviance (CLO 1.1, 1.2)
- Apply an analytic framework to assess the merits of different criminological theories in the context of specific crimes or policy problems (CLO 4.2)
- Create an industry-standard document for a professional audience using appropriate written conventions, sources of evidence and referencing (CLO 3.1, 4.1, 5.3)
- Provide evidence-based responses to support a logical theoretical position in respect of a practical real-world example (CLO 4.1, 4.2, 4.3)
Content
The content in this unit covers a range of theories of crime developed over the last two centuries, including classicism, positivism, sociological structuralism, deviance theory, critical criminology, feminist, post-structuralist and counter-colonial criminological theories.
Learning Approaches
The main approach adopted in this unit is that of student-centred learning, which, in effect, means that you are required to take primary responsibility for your own learning under the general guidance and assistance of the unit teaching staff. The unit coordinator communicates with students using Canvas notices. All students are expected to maintain regular contact with the Canvas site for the unit and to check their email daily to ensure they are aware of important information concerning the unit.
This unit adopts a blended teaching approach consisting of a weekly two-hour lectorial format: a one-hour interactive lecture followed by a one-hour workshop session based on weekly lecture content, prescribed readings and set activities. There is an expectation of the workshop component that students will engage in practical tasks associated with each of the topics. These tasks will work closely with assessment requirements. Online students will discuss these activities in their weekly online sessions.
Lectorials will consist of addresses by guest lecturers and direct instruction from the unit coordinator. All lectorials will be recorded using Echo 360 and microphones will be used to ensure student discussion can be heard. Both internal and online students can simultaneously participate in these sessions. Internal students are expected to attend lectures and online students are encouraged to attend online through Echo 360 where possible or to listen to the recording at a later date (recordings are made available within a few hours of scheduled finish time).
Tutorials
Weekly online tutorials (using Canvas Collaborate) will run for online students. Online tutorials are also convened by the unit coordinator the week before major assessment is due to discuss the assignment in detail (recorded using Canvas Collaborate). Dates and times of lectures and online tutorials are outlined on the JSB272 Canvas site.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester, which may include:
- informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
- formal: in writing, e.g. criteria sheets, written commentary
- direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
- indirect: to the whole class.
Students in this unit are provided with individual feedback on Assessment Item 1: 'Solving the Crime Problem'. This feedback will be formative feedback in the form of detailed electronic comments (using track changes and electronic commenting functions in Word). Additional feedback will also be provided in the marking criteria sheets.
General feedback (including comments about what was done well and what required improvement) relating to each assessment item is also provided to all students under the 'Feedback' section on the Canvas site. Feedback for Assessment Item 2: 'Exam' will be generic and posted to Canvas.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit focuses on the students' depth and breadth of knowledge and understandings of criminological theories and their impacts for policy, practice and research in the criminal justice domain. It is expected that all assessment will demonstrate engagement with the unit themes, key theoretical concepts and unit resources and address the unit Learning Outcomes listed above. Students need to refer to the unit Canvas site for more detailed information about all assessment items for this unit. All assessment in this unit is to be submitted electronically only, as per the guidelines on the Canvas site.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Fortnightly online quizzes - Understanding key concepts
The purpose of these 5 short quizzes of 10 multiple choice questions each is to embed your understanding of the key concepts across the three criminological canons: classical; positivist and critical criminologies.
Assessment: Research essay
The essay will be based on a series of real world crime problems that students will be asked to apply their knowledge of criminological theories to solve.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Additional resource materials will be available through Canvas.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
White R, Haines F, Asquith NL, Crime and Criminology, 6th ed. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, 2017. ISBN 9780190307101
Risk Assessment Statement
Students are advised that some content in justice units may be confronting. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Online
| Unit code: | JSB272 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96 credit points of study |
| Equivalent: | JSB231, JSB018 |
| Anti-requisite: | JSN113 |
Overview
Criminology is a multi-disciplinary field and this is reflected in the diversity of theoretical approaches, which draw on various sciences, psychology, sociology, philosophy and politics. Theory is typically offered as distinct from methods of research; however, together they provide the foundation for policy and practice. The unit provides an analytical framework in order to critically assess the epistemological claims and justifications found in criminological theory.
A range of criminological explanations and theories of crime are explored: classicism/neo-classicism; biological and psychological positivism; anomie; strain theory; the Chicago school; labelling theory; feminist criminology; Marxism; critical criminology; new right theory; left realism; and cultural criminology. The course stresses the relevance and application of theory, examining how theory 'works' (or 'fails') in practice.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse diverse theories of crime and deviance (CLO 1.1, 1.2)
- Apply an analytic framework to assess the merits of different criminological theories in the context of specific crimes or policy problems (CLO 4.2)
- Create an industry-standard document for a professional audience using appropriate written conventions, sources of evidence and referencing (CLO 3.1, 4.1, 5.3)
- Provide evidence-based responses to support a logical theoretical position in respect of a practical real-world example (CLO 4.1, 4.2, 4.3)
Content
The content in this unit covers a range of theories of crime developed over the last two centuries, including classicism, positivism, sociological structuralism, deviance theory, critical criminology, feminist, post-structuralist and counter-colonial criminological theories.
Learning Approaches
The main approach adopted in this unit is that of student-centred learning, which, in effect, means that you are required to take primary responsibility for your own learning under the general guidance and assistance of the unit teaching staff. The unit coordinator communicates with students using Canvas notices. All students are expected to maintain regular contact with the Canvas site for the unit and to check their email daily to ensure they are aware of important information concerning the unit.
This unit adopts a blended teaching approach consisting of a weekly two-hour lectorial format: a one-hour interactive lecture followed by a one-hour workshop session based on weekly lecture content, prescribed readings and set activities. There is an expectation of the workshop component that students will engage in practical tasks associated with each of the topics. These tasks will work closely with assessment requirements. Online students will discuss these activities in their weekly online sessions.
Lectorials will consist of addresses by guest lecturers and direct instruction from the unit coordinator. All lectorials will be recorded using Echo 360 and microphones will be used to ensure student discussion can be heard. Both internal and online students can simultaneously participate in these sessions. Internal students are expected to attend lectures and online students are encouraged to attend online through Echo 360 where possible or to listen to the recording at a later date (recordings are made available within a few hours of scheduled finish time).
Tutorials
Weekly online tutorials (using Canvas Collaborate) will run for online students. Online tutorials are also convened by the unit coordinator the week before major assessment is due to discuss the assignment in detail (recorded using Canvas Collaborate). Dates and times of lectures and online tutorials are outlined on the JSB272 Canvas site.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester, which may include:
- informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
- formal: in writing, e.g. criteria sheets, written commentary
- direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
- indirect: to the whole class.
Students in this unit are provided with individual feedback on Assessment Item 1: 'Solving the Crime Problem'. This feedback will be formative feedback in the form of detailed electronic comments (using track changes and electronic commenting functions in Word). Additional feedback will also be provided in the marking criteria sheets.
General feedback (including comments about what was done well and what required improvement) relating to each assessment item is also provided to all students under the 'Feedback' section on the Canvas site. Feedback for Assessment Item 2: 'Exam' will be generic and posted to Canvas.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit focuses on the students' depth and breadth of knowledge and understandings of criminological theories and their impacts for policy, practice and research in the criminal justice domain. It is expected that all assessment will demonstrate engagement with the unit themes, key theoretical concepts and unit resources and address the unit Learning Outcomes listed above. Students need to refer to the unit Canvas site for more detailed information about all assessment items for this unit. All assessment in this unit is to be submitted electronically only, as per the guidelines on the Canvas site.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Fortnightly online quizzes - Understanding key concepts
The purpose of these 5 short quizzes of 10 multiple choice questions each is to embed your understanding of the key concepts across the three criminological canons: classical; positivist and critical criminologies.
Assessment: Research essay
The essay will be based on a series of real world crime problems that students will be asked to apply their knowledge of criminological theories to solve.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Additional resource materials will be available through Canvas.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
White R, Haines F, Asquith NL, Crime and Criminology, 6th ed. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, 2017. ISBN 9780190307101
Risk Assessment Statement
Students are advised that some content in justice units may be confronting. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.