JSB279 Criminal Network Analysis
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: | JSB279 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | 72cp of completed study |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $2,174 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $1,020 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 | $3,456 |
| International unit fee | $5,592 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | JSB279 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 72cp of completed study |
Overview
Unearth the hidden structures of society with our course on Social Network Analysis. This unit equips you with the skills to map and analyse the intricate web of relationships that form the backbone of society. Our focus is on ‘Dark Networks’, the clandestine networks that operate beneath the surface, including corruption rings, organised crime groups, and terrorist cells. These networks amass ‘criminal capital’, the connections to resources and skills that enable illicit activities. You’ll learn to map these networks, understand their workings, and use this knowledge in intelligence roles. For aspiring justice professionals, this unit underscores the importance of criminal network analysis in crime-solving. It’s not just about understanding crime, it’s about understanding the networked nature of crime. This unit is a stepping stone in your journey to becoming an intelligence professional.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Map social networks using Social Network Analysis (SNA) technology to accurately reflect social relationships.
- Explain how social and criminal networks operate and the roles of the members of the networks.
- Analyse social and criminal networks to create recommendations for network disruption.
- Discuss the use of Social Network Analysis Technology to enhance criminal investigations and intelligence.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Social Network Analysis (SNA) software operation
- Theories of social and criminal networks
- Analysis of social and criminal networks
- Disruption of criminal networks
- Impacts of technology on intelligence work
Learning Approaches
In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures - live and pre-recorded
- workshops - face-to-face or online
- readings, media and video resources.
This is an applied skills unit. You will have free access to the software and are encouraged to practice building networks and sharing projects online with your peers and the teaching team. You will also be encouraged to work with real world examples of network maps.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises discussed and undertaken throughout the unit
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas site.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit there are two assessments:
1. Social Network Map - This task connects SNA technology skills with key concepts of social and criminal network analysis to create a social network map of a real world problem.
2. Network Analysis - This task brings together core unit concepts to analyse a specific criminal network and provide recommendations on how to disrupt it.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Social Network Map
You will take on the role of an intelligence officer working for an investigative agency to analyse a criminal case and produce a social network map. You will produce a criminal network map using SNA technology. You will identify the roles of the members of the network to explain the nature of their relationships.
You will also reflect on your use of the technology to discuss how this technology makes new forms of criminal analysis possible and the impact it has on investigations and intelligence. In your reflection, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Network Analysis
You will be provided with a social network obtained from a real-world case and the narrative history of that network. Your task will be to analyse the operation of the network and make recommendations for the support or disruption of the network. You will explain the nature of the organised crime and its operation as an intelligence officer giving a briefing.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
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.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
You will be provided with access to SNA software. Other resources will be available in the Canvas site.
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 unit, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.JS34 Bachelor of Justice
- Apply social and criminal justice principles to explain justice issues and contexts.
Relates to: ULO2, Network Analysis - Collect and analyse evidence to inform decisions and recommendations in justice systems.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Social Network Map, Network Analysis - Assess technologies and their impacts on social and justice sectors.
Relates to: ULO4, Social Network Map
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Online
| Unit code: | JSB279 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 72cp of completed study |
Overview
Unearth the hidden structures of society with our course on Social Network Analysis. This unit equips you with the skills to map and analyse the intricate web of relationships that form the backbone of society. Our focus is on ‘Dark Networks’, the clandestine networks that operate beneath the surface, including corruption rings, organised crime groups, and terrorist cells. These networks amass ‘criminal capital’, the connections to resources and skills that enable illicit activities. You’ll learn to map these networks, understand their workings, and use this knowledge in intelligence roles. For aspiring justice professionals, this unit underscores the importance of criminal network analysis in crime-solving. It’s not just about understanding crime, it’s about understanding the networked nature of crime. This unit is a stepping stone in your journey to becoming an intelligence professional.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Map social networks using Social Network Analysis (SNA) technology to accurately reflect social relationships.
- Explain how social and criminal networks operate and the roles of the members of the networks.
- Analyse social and criminal networks to create recommendations for network disruption.
- Discuss the use of Social Network Analysis Technology to enhance criminal investigations and intelligence.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Social Network Analysis (SNA) software operation
- Theories of social and criminal networks
- Analysis of social and criminal networks
- Disruption of criminal networks
- Impacts of technology on intelligence work
Learning Approaches
In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures - live and pre-recorded
- workshops - face-to-face or online
- readings, media and video resources.
This is an applied skills unit. You will have free access to the software and are encouraged to practice building networks and sharing projects online with your peers and the teaching team. You will also be encouraged to work with real world examples of network maps.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises discussed and undertaken throughout the unit
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas site.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit there are two assessments:
1. Social Network Map - This task connects SNA technology skills with key concepts of social and criminal network analysis to create a social network map of a real world problem.
2. Network Analysis - This task brings together core unit concepts to analyse a specific criminal network and provide recommendations on how to disrupt it.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Social Network Map
You will take on the role of an intelligence officer working for an investigative agency to analyse a criminal case and produce a social network map. You will produce a criminal network map using SNA technology. You will identify the roles of the members of the network to explain the nature of their relationships.
You will also reflect on your use of the technology to discuss how this technology makes new forms of criminal analysis possible and the impact it has on investigations and intelligence. In your reflection, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Network Analysis
You will be provided with a social network obtained from a real-world case and the narrative history of that network. Your task will be to analyse the operation of the network and make recommendations for the support or disruption of the network. You will explain the nature of the organised crime and its operation as an intelligence officer giving a briefing.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
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.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
You will be provided with access to SNA software. Other resources will be available in the Canvas site.
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 unit, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.JS34 Bachelor of Justice
- Apply social and criminal justice principles to explain justice issues and contexts.
Relates to: ULO2, Network Analysis - Collect and analyse evidence to inform decisions and recommendations in justice systems.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Social Network Map, Network Analysis - Assess technologies and their impacts on social and justice sectors.
Relates to: ULO4, Social Network Map