Overview
This unit extends your basic knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of criminology by considering a broad range of interdisciplinary contemporary theories of crime and penology. You will investigate how these theories can inform research, legislation, law enforcement and regulatory responses to crime. You will examine theoretical and practical case studies to consider how different theoretical approaches may lead to different and perhaps contradictory outcomes. This unit will also develop your methodological analysis skills, examining qualitative and quantitative data to test models suggested by theories of crime.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2022
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student email
While students were worried about learning theory, students were satisfied with the learning materials that made their study easier.
Given the difficulty of learning theory, these will be fine-tuned for the next offering.
Feedback from Student email
Students struggled to complete assignments, so students were satisfied with the help from the unit coordinator.
Workshops for the assignments will continue to be held and an individual meeting will be offered when necessary.
- Critique, analyse and reflect on interdisciplinary contemporary theories of crime, their policy implications and practical outcomes
- Research and develop a systematic approach to evaluating the effectiveness of criminology theories in managing criminal activity
- Conceptualise crime using a variety of disciplines, discuss theories based on these conceptualisations, and how these theories influence law and social policy.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 15% | |||
| 2 - Case Study - 40% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 45% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 15% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Case Study - 40% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 45% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.suzuki@cqu.edu.au
s.colbran@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction.
Chapter
Tittle, C. R. (2016). Introduction: Theory and contemporary criminology. In A. R. Piquero (Ed.) The Handbook of Criminological Theory. Wiley. (pp. 1-17).
Dooley, B. D. & Goodison, S. E. (2020). Falsification by atrophy: The Kuhnian process of rejecting theory in US criminology. British Journal of Criminology, 60(1), 24-44.
Scott, J. (2014). The quantitative-qualitative divide in criminology: A theory of ideas’ importance, attractiveness, and publication. Theoretical Criminology, 18(3), 317-334.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Classical criminology.
Chapter
Nagin, D. S. (2013). Deterrence in the twenty-first century. Crime and Justice, 42, 199-263.
Clarke, R. V. & Cornish, D. B. (1985). Modeling offenders’ decisions: A framework for research and policy. Crime and Justice, 6, 147-185.
Cohen, L. E. & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review, 44(4), 588-608.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Biological criminology.
Chapter
Burt, C. & Simons, R. L. (2014). Pulling back the curtain on heritability studies: Biosocial criminology in the postgenomic era. Criminology, 52(2), 223-262.
Wright, J. P. & Boisvert, Danielle (2009). What biosocial criminology offers criminology. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 36(11), 1228-1240.
Rocque, M. & Posick, C. (2017). Paradigm shift or normal science? The future of (biosocial) criminology. Theoretical Criminology, 21(3), 288-303.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Anomie and strain theories.
Chapter
Messner, S. F. (1988). Merton’s “social structure and anomie”: The road not taken. Deviant Behavior, 9(1), 33-53.
Agnew, R. (1992) Foundation for a general strain theory of crime and delinquency. Criminology, 30(1), 47-87.
Rosenfeld, R. & Messner, S. F. (2006). The origins, nature and prospects of institutional-anomie theory. In S. Henry & M. Lanier (Eds.) The Essential criminology reader. Westview (pp. 121-136).
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Social learning theories
Chapter
Akers, R. (1996). Rational choice, deterrence, and social learning theory in criminology. The path not taken. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 81(3), 653-676.
Eassey, J. M. & Krohn, M. D. (2018). Differential association, differential social organization, and white-collar crime: Sutherland Defines the Field. In R. A. Triplett (ed.) The handbook of the history and philosophy of criminology. Wiley (pp. 156-172).
Pratt, T. C. Cullen, F. T., Sellers, C. S., Thomas, W. L., Madensen, T. D., Daigle, L. E., Fearn, N. E. & Gau, J. M. (2010) The empirical status of social learning theory: A meta-analysis. Justice Quarterly, 27(6), 765-802.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assignment 1: Online quiz (15%)
Due date: Week 5 Friday (12 August 2022) 9:00 am AEST
Online Quiz Due: Week 5 Friday (12 Aug 2022) 9:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
None.
Chapter
None.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Control theories.
Chapter
Özbay, Ö & Özcan, Y. Z. (2006). A test of Hirschi’s social bonding theory: Juvenile delinquency in the high school of Ankara, Turkey. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 50(6), 711-726.
Hirschi, T. & Gottfredson, M. (2000). In defense of self-control. Theoretical Criminology, 4(1), 55-69.
Pratt, T. & Cullen, F. T. (2000). The empirical status of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime: A meta-analysis. Criminology, 38(3), 931-964.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Social disorganisation theories.
Chapter
Bursik, R. J. (1988) Social disorganization and theories of crime and delinquency: Problems and prospects. Criminology, 26(4), 519-551.
Sampson, R. J., Randebush, S. W. & Earls, F. (1997) Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science, 277(5328), 918-924.
Zimmerman, G. M. & Messner, S. F. (2012). Person-in-context: Insights and issues in research on neighborhoods and crime. In R. Loeber & B. C. Welsh (eds.) The future of criminology. Oxford University Press (pp. 70-78).
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Labelling theories.
Chapter
Paternoster, R. & Iovanni, L. (1989). The labelling perspective and delinquency: An elaboration of the theory and an assessment of the evidence. Justice Quarterly, 6(3), 359-394.
Matsueda, R. L. (1992). Reflected appraisals, parental labelling, and delinquency: Specifying a symbolic interactionist theory. American Journal of Sociology, 97(6), 1577-1611.
Kim, H. J. & Gerber, J. (2012). The effectiveness of reintegrative shaming and restorative justice conferences: Focusing on juvenile offenders’ perceptions in Australian Reintegrative Shaming Experiments. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 56(7), 1063-1079.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Conflict theories.
Chapter
Pavlich, G. (1999). Criticism and criminology: In search of legitimacy. Theoretical Criminology, 3(1), 29-51.
Daly, K. & Chesney-Lind, M. (1988). Feminism and criminology. Justice Quarterly, 5(4), 497-538.
Donnermeyer, J. F. & DeKeserdy, W. (2008). Toward a rural critical criminology, Southern Rural Sociology, 23(2), 4-28.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Developmental and life-course criminology.
Chapter
Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100(4), 674-701.
Laub, J. & Sampson, R. (1993) Turning points in the life course: Why change matters to the study of crime. Criminology, 31(3), 301-325.
Farrington, D. P. (2003) Developmental and life-course criminology: Key theoretical and empirical issues – The 2002 Sutherland Award Address. Criminology, 41(2), 221-255.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
Comparative criminology.
Chapter
Antonaccio, O. & Botchkovar, E. V. (2016). What international research has told us about criminology theory. In A. R. Piquero (Ed.) The handbook of criminological theory. John Wiley & Sons (pp. 475-496).
Karstedt, S. (2001) Comparing cultures, comparing crime: Challenges, prospects and problems for a global criminology. Crime, Law and Social Change, 36(3), 285-308.
Suzuki, M. & Pai, C.-F. (2019) Towards culture-inclusive criminology in Asia. International Annals of Criminology, 57(1-2), 8-24.
Events and Submissions/Topic
None.
Module/Topic
None.
Chapter
None.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assignment 3: Case study (45%)
Due date: Exam week Friday (14 October 2022) 9:00 am AEST
Case study Due: Review/Exam Week Friday (14 Oct 2022) 9:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
None.
Chapter
None.
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
Studens will complete an online quiz. There are 15 questions in total. Questions are True/False and Multiple Choice. The time limit is 2 hours once students start the online quiz.
1
Other
Week 5 Friday (12 Aug 2022) 9:00 pm AEST
Week 5 Friday (12 Aug 2022)
The answer will be shown once students complete the online quiz.
No submission method provided.
- Critique, analyse and reflect on interdisciplinary contemporary theories of crime, their policy implications and practical outcomes
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
2 Case Study
Students will be provided with a reflective task of the challenge activities in the sessions of Modules 2-11. Word length per task is 150 words (total 1,500 words). These tasks are available in the study guide.
Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022) 9:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022)
This assignment will be assessed against three criteria. The first is level of reflection, which will assess whether students link lecture and workshop materials explicitly and clearly, demonstrating excellent understanding. The second is presentation, which will assess whether students provide an excellent individual and overall structure in writing and explain perspectives in a coherent and cohesive manner. The third is completeness, which will assess whether students complete all the workbook tasks.
- Research and develop a systematic approach to evaluating the effectiveness of criminology theories in managing criminal activity
- Conceptualise crime using a variety of disciplines, discuss theories based on these conceptualisations, and how these theories influence law and social policy.
- Problem Solving
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
3 Written Assessment
In this assessment, students work on the following tasks two write a 1500-word case study. (1) Students select an agency or organisation that works with ex-prisoners. (2) Students briefly describe the work of the agency or organisation and describe the 'philosophy' upon which the agency or organisation bases its practice. (3) Students pick a theory that is relevant to the agency or organisation. (4) Students give details about the theory by identifying the theorist and the key components of the theory. (5) Students apply the theory to the agency or organisation by linking the key components of the theory to the work of the agency or organisation. (6) Students evaluate what the agency or organisation does with ex-prisoners in terms of the theory.
Review/Exam Week Friday (14 Oct 2022) 9:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022)
This assignment is assessed by five criteria. Introduction is based on whether students provide a clear introduction. Organisation is based on whether the ideas are arranged in a logical, structured and coherent manner. Content knowledge is based on whether students demonstrate a balanced and high level of detailed knowledge of core concepts by providing a high level of analysis. Presentation is based on whether the quality of writing is a high standard. Conclusion is based on whether students provide a detailed and focused summary of the ideas presented.
- Research and develop a systematic approach to evaluating the effectiveness of criminology theories in managing criminal activity
- Conceptualise crime using a variety of disciplines, discuss theories based on these conceptualisations, and how these theories influence law and social policy.
- Problem Solving
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
