JSB284 Policing in Context
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: | JSB284 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | 72 credit points of completed study |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $2,124 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $996 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 | $3,204 |
| International unit fee | $4,572 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | JSB284 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96 credit points of study |
| Equivalent: | JSB274 |
| Coordinator: | Eric Wilson | e70.wilson@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit is concerned with the diverse roles, duties, powers and problems of policing in Australia. These issues are explored through a variety of topics, which include the history and context of policing in Australia and internationally, the powers and duties of police officers, police ethics and oversight, the effectiveness of different policing strategies, and the social challenges of police-community interaction.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Describe the history and context underpinning contemporary policing in Australia and the models and functions of modern police as well as the actual skills, tasks and duties of a police role (Course Learning Outcomes 1.3, 2.1)
- Analyse the challenges faced by police during the course of their duties, in terms of policing vulnerable populations and the impact of technology (CLOs 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.2)
- Critically reflect on the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by police and suggest evidence-based responses to assist in overcoming these (CLOs 2.1, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2)
- Communicate effectively across written, verbal and non-verbal media, using appropriate professional and academic conventions (CLOs 3.1, 3.2, 4.1)
- Collaborate effectively with others in the professional context as well as being able to work independently without supervision when required (CLO 3.3)
- Critically analyse policing policy and practice in relation to the broader concerns of social and criminal justice (CLOs 1.5, 2.3, 2.4, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2)
Content
Topics covered in this unit include:
- police roles, powers and duties
- introduction to 21st century policing strategies
- evidence-based policing
- community-oriented policing
- police investigations and interviewing
- policing diverse communities and vulnerable persons
- police and victims of crime
- police technology, use of force and militarisation
- problematic policing, police ethics and oversight
- critiquing police policy and practice
- approaches to group work.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (recorded)
- workshops (on-campus and online)
- online learning materials
- peer and group discussions
- team meetings to reach negotiated outcomes
- scholarly readings, including research by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors
This unit will employ problem-solving tasks and case-based learning activities. You will have the opportunity to actively engage with your peers and teachers as part of a learning community.
Since one of the assessment items involves some group work, there will be instruction given on how to work effectively in a group or team.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester, which may include:
- worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
- in writing, e.g. criteria sheets, written commentary
- to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
- to the whole class.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit there are two assessments:
1. Briefing paper - This task connects your understanding of core concepts in evidence-based policing with collaborative skills to create a group briefing paper addressing a contemporary policing issue.
2. Invigilated exam - This task asks you to draw upon unit concepts and material to address a range of questions about contemporary policing principles and practices.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Briefing paper
You will be asked to form groups and work collaboratively on a task provided in class. Each group member will contribute to a 2500-word briefing paper that analyses a real-world scenario and proposes effective policing strategies.
In addition to submitting the group briefing paper, each group member will submit a 500-word individual reflection, including self-reflection and peer scoring.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, is not permitted in this assessment task. The use of such tools when not authorised may be treated as a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and appropriate penalties imposed.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Invigilated exam
You will be asked to respond to a series of multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions. Your responses will demonstrate an understanding of principles, practices and issues within contemporary policing.
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
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 2025, Online
| Unit code: | JSB284 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96 credit points of study |
| Equivalent: | JSB274 |
Overview
This unit is concerned with the diverse roles, duties, powers and problems of policing in Australia. These issues are explored through a variety of topics, which include the history and context of policing in Australia and internationally, the powers and duties of police officers, police ethics and oversight, the effectiveness of different policing strategies, and the social challenges of police-community interaction.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Describe the history and context underpinning contemporary policing in Australia and the models and functions of modern police as well as the actual skills, tasks and duties of a police role (Course Learning Outcomes 1.3, 2.1)
- Analyse the challenges faced by police during the course of their duties, in terms of policing vulnerable populations and the impact of technology (CLOs 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.2)
- Critically reflect on the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by police and suggest evidence-based responses to assist in overcoming these (CLOs 2.1, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2)
- Communicate effectively across written, verbal and non-verbal media, using appropriate professional and academic conventions (CLOs 3.1, 3.2, 4.1)
- Collaborate effectively with others in the professional context as well as being able to work independently without supervision when required (CLO 3.3)
- Critically analyse policing policy and practice in relation to the broader concerns of social and criminal justice (CLOs 1.5, 2.3, 2.4, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2)
Content
Topics covered in this unit include:
- police roles, powers and duties
- introduction to 21st century policing strategies
- evidence-based policing
- community-oriented policing
- police investigations and interviewing
- policing diverse communities and vulnerable persons
- police and victims of crime
- police technology, use of force and militarisation
- problematic policing, police ethics and oversight
- critiquing police policy and practice
- approaches to group work.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (recorded)
- workshops (on-campus and online)
- online learning materials
- peer and group discussions
- team meetings to reach negotiated outcomes
- scholarly readings, including research by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors
This unit will employ problem-solving tasks and case-based learning activities. You will have the opportunity to actively engage with your peers and teachers as part of a learning community.
Since one of the assessment items involves some group work, there will be instruction given on how to work effectively in a group or team.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester, which may include:
- worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
- in writing, e.g. criteria sheets, written commentary
- to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
- to the whole class.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit there are two assessments:
1. Briefing paper - This task connects your understanding of core concepts in evidence-based policing with collaborative skills to create a group briefing paper addressing a contemporary policing issue.
2. Invigilated exam - This task asks you to draw upon unit concepts and material to address a range of questions about contemporary policing principles and practices.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Briefing paper
You will be asked to form groups and work collaboratively on a task provided in class. Each group member will contribute to a 2500-word briefing paper that analyses a real-world scenario and proposes effective policing strategies.
In addition to submitting the group briefing paper, each group member will submit a 500-word individual reflection, including self-reflection and peer scoring.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, is not permitted in this assessment task. The use of such tools when not authorised may be treated as a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and appropriate penalties imposed.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Invigilated exam
You will be asked to respond to a series of multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions. Your responses will demonstrate an understanding of principles, practices and issues within contemporary policing.
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
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.