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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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | JSB284 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 72 credit points of previous study |
| Coordinator: | Angela Higginson | angela.higginson@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 context underpinning contemporary policing in Australia and the models and functions of modern police.
- Examine contemporary policing issues from diverse stakeholder perspectives.
- Critically analyse policing policy and practice in relation to vulnerable and diverse populations.
- Reflect on facilitating discussions in collaborative teams and how this informs future professional practice.
- Propose strategies and recommendations that respond to policing issues drawing on scholarly research evidence.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- police powers and duties
- plural and private policing
- introduction to 21st century policing strategies
- evidence-based policing
- policing diverse communities and vulnerable persons
- police and victims of crime
- police ethics, oversight and public scrutiny
- policing and technology
- critiquing police policy and practice
- comparative policing
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (live and 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 an online 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
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. 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. Media response meeting - This task draws on contemporary policing principles and concepts to collaboratively produce a set of recommendations to address a policing issue.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Briefing paper
You will take on the role of an employee in a policing organisation to write a briefing paper for your manager. The briefing paper will analyse a contemporary local crime problem and propose evidence-based policing strategies.
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: Media response meeting
You will take on the role of an employee in a policing organisation to analyse the media coverage of a policing issue and create a set of recommendations.
Part A: Individually, you will investigate one component of the policing issue and produce a summary.
Part B: You will meet as a group working in the policing organisation to produce a set of recommendations on the issue. Your meeting will be recorded and included in your submission.
Part C: Following your meeting, you will record a video reflecting on the issue, the process of designing a response and how this impacts your future professional practice.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 2026, Online
| Unit code: | JSB284 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 72 credit points of previous study |
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 context underpinning contemporary policing in Australia and the models and functions of modern police.
- Examine contemporary policing issues from diverse stakeholder perspectives.
- Critically analyse policing policy and practice in relation to vulnerable and diverse populations.
- Reflect on facilitating discussions in collaborative teams and how this informs future professional practice.
- Propose strategies and recommendations that respond to policing issues drawing on scholarly research evidence.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- police powers and duties
- plural and private policing
- introduction to 21st century policing strategies
- evidence-based policing
- policing diverse communities and vulnerable persons
- police and victims of crime
- police ethics, oversight and public scrutiny
- policing and technology
- critiquing police policy and practice
- comparative policing
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (live and 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 an online 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
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. 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. Media response meeting - This task draws on contemporary policing principles and concepts to collaboratively produce a set of recommendations to address a policing issue.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Briefing paper
You will take on the role of an employee in a policing organisation to write a briefing paper for your manager. The briefing paper will analyse a contemporary local crime problem and propose evidence-based policing strategies.
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: Media response meeting
You will take on the role of an employee in a policing organisation to analyse the media coverage of a policing issue and create a set of recommendations.
Part A: Individually, you will investigate one component of the policing issue and produce a summary.
Part B: You will meet as a group working in the policing organisation to produce a set of recommendations on the issue. Your meeting will be recorded and included in your submission.
Part C: Following your meeting, you will record a video reflecting on the issue, the process of designing a response and how this impacts your future professional practice.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.