JSB339 Understanding Trauma in Criminology
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: | JSB339 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | 96cp of completed study |
| Equivalent(s): | JSB224 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| 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: | JSB339 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96cp of completed study |
| Equivalent: | JSB224 |
| Coordinator: | Jodi Death | jodi.death@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit addresses the ways in which trauma is important to theory and practice in criminal justice and social justice discourse. Trauma informed practice is explored in ways that introduce students to theory and skills in order to inform their engagement with policy and practice and expand their understanding of professional work in criminal justice. This is particularly important in understanding intergenerational trauma in Indigenous and other vulnerable communities. This unit will help to prepare you for careers working in criminal justice agencies and policy development in criminal justice related fields.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Reflect on personal values and professional practice to inform future practice.
- Plan ways to implement trauma-informed principles in work with diverse communities and vulnerable people.
- Facilitate discussions about your client's best interest in respectful, professional and ethical ways with other professionals and stakeholders.
- Apply trauma-informed theories to explain client information and to inform ongoing case management.
- Locate and assess the impact of policies and programs that relate to individuals who have experienced trauma.
Content
The unit will cover the following:
- Understanding Trauma Theory
- Trauma Informed Practice
- Impacts of Trauma on Specific Populations
- Role of trauma informed practice in criminal justice responses
- Understanding trauma informed practice in professional roles
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.
The unit adopts an interactive and case-based learning approach in which you are encouraged to think critically around client needs within a trauma-informed perspective. You will be provided with case studies to analyse in order to develop practice outcomes for vulnerable clients that meet trauma informed objectives.
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 three assessments:
1. Case Plan - this task draws on your understanding of trauma and its impacts to create a case plan.
2. Case Management Meeting - this task builds on your case plan to negotiate with other stakeholders for the management of the case.
3. Practice Proposal - this task connects understanding trauma and its impacts with practice to create a proposal for a specific organisation on the implementation of best practice in trauma informed care.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Plan
From the perspective of a professional (Police, Corrections, Victim Assist) and drawing on one of the case studies provided, you will complete a guided exercise that identifies possible causes of trauma for the client in that case, possible outcomes of that trauma, and a brief case plan which accounts for trauma informed practice.
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: Case Management Meeting
You will undertake a case management meeting about your client with a group of other stakeholders. In this meeting you will need to identify and represent your client's best interests consistent with your professional perspective.
Following the meeting, reflect on the discussion and negotiation process, and your professional representation of the client. Video record your reflection to debrief your experience.
You will submit a recording of your case management meeting and your video recording of your debrief.
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: Practice Proposal
Writing from the perspective of a key organisation (for example Police, Corrections, Courts, Victim Assist) you will write a practice proposal on the implementation of best practice in trauma informed care within that organisations.You will choose to focus on one activity undertaken in that organisation – examples include trauma informed interviewing, (cross) examination of witnesses, and evidence gathering.
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.
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
There are no resources that are required to be purchased for this unit. Resources will be available in the unit's 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 course, 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: ULO5, Case Management Meeting, Practice Proposal - Collect and analyse evidence to inform decisions and recommendations in justice systems.
Relates to: ULO4, Case Plan, Practice Proposal - Apply culturally safe and inclusive approaches to work with diverse communities and people as a Justice professional.
Relates to: ULO2, Case Plan, Practice Proposal - Communicate justice and social issues in respectful, professional and ethical ways with other professionals and stakeholders.
Relates to: ULO3, Case Management Meeting - Facilitate discussions and collaborate with stakeholders in the justice sector.
Relates to: ULO3, Case Management Meeting - Reflect on personal values and professional practice to articulate a professional identity.
Relates to: ULO1, Case Management Meeting
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Online
| Unit code: | JSB339 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96cp of completed study |
| Equivalent: | JSB224 |
Overview
This unit addresses the ways in which trauma is important to theory and practice in criminal justice and social justice discourse. Trauma informed practice is explored in ways that introduce students to theory and skills in order to inform their engagement with policy and practice and expand their understanding of professional work in criminal justice. This is particularly important in understanding intergenerational trauma in Indigenous and other vulnerable communities. This unit will help to prepare you for careers working in criminal justice agencies and policy development in criminal justice related fields.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Reflect on personal values and professional practice to inform future practice.
- Plan ways to implement trauma-informed principles in work with diverse communities and vulnerable people.
- Facilitate discussions about your client's best interest in respectful, professional and ethical ways with other professionals and stakeholders.
- Apply trauma-informed theories to explain client information and to inform ongoing case management.
- Locate and assess the impact of policies and programs that relate to individuals who have experienced trauma.
Content
The unit will cover the following:
- Understanding Trauma Theory
- Trauma Informed Practice
- Impacts of Trauma on Specific Populations
- Role of trauma informed practice in criminal justice responses
- Understanding trauma informed practice in professional roles
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.
The unit adopts an interactive and case-based learning approach in which you are encouraged to think critically around client needs within a trauma-informed perspective. You will be provided with case studies to analyse in order to develop practice outcomes for vulnerable clients that meet trauma informed objectives.
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 three assessments:
1. Case Plan - this task draws on your understanding of trauma and its impacts to create a case plan.
2. Case Management Meeting - this task builds on your case plan to negotiate with other stakeholders for the management of the case.
3. Practice Proposal - this task connects understanding trauma and its impacts with practice to create a proposal for a specific organisation on the implementation of best practice in trauma informed care.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Plan
From the perspective of a professional (Police, Corrections, Victim Assist) and drawing on one of the case studies provided, you will complete a guided exercise that identifies possible causes of trauma for the client in that case, possible outcomes of that trauma, and a brief case plan which accounts for trauma informed practice.
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: Case Management Meeting
You will undertake a case management meeting about your client with a group of other stakeholders. In this meeting you will need to identify and represent your client's best interests consistent with your professional perspective.
Following the meeting, reflect on the discussion and negotiation process, and your professional representation of the client. Video record your reflection to debrief your experience.
You will submit a recording of your case management meeting and your video recording of your debrief.
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: Practice Proposal
Writing from the perspective of a key organisation (for example Police, Corrections, Courts, Victim Assist) you will write a practice proposal on the implementation of best practice in trauma informed care within that organisations.You will choose to focus on one activity undertaken in that organisation – examples include trauma informed interviewing, (cross) examination of witnesses, and evidence gathering.
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.
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
There are no resources that are required to be purchased for this unit. Resources will be available in the unit's 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 course, 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: ULO5, Case Management Meeting, Practice Proposal - Collect and analyse evidence to inform decisions and recommendations in justice systems.
Relates to: ULO4, Case Plan, Practice Proposal - Apply culturally safe and inclusive approaches to work with diverse communities and people as a Justice professional.
Relates to: ULO2, Case Plan, Practice Proposal - Communicate justice and social issues in respectful, professional and ethical ways with other professionals and stakeholders.
Relates to: ULO3, Case Management Meeting - Facilitate discussions and collaborate with stakeholders in the justice sector.
Relates to: ULO3, Case Management Meeting - Reflect on personal values and professional practice to articulate a professional identity.
Relates to: ULO1, Case Management Meeting