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PSYC20052 - Offender Profiling and Crime Analysis

General Information

Unit Synopsis

Offender Profiling and Crime Analysis is designed to introduce you to the key concepts, debates, and theories that underpin the use of offender profiling and crime analysis in criminal investigations. You will study the history of offender profiling, current models of offender profiling/criminal investigative analysis, and media representations of profiling. You will also focus on crime analysis in Australia: homicide, sexual offences, and arson. During your study, you will use real-world content, designed to prepare you to work with community based organisations, or in private practice.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 9
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 4
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the 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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 3 - 2018

Term 2 - 2019 Profile
Online
Term 2 - 2020 Profile
Online

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).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate 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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Essay 30%
2. Case Study 30%
3. Laboratory/Practical 40%

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

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

No previous feedback available

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.

Source: 'Have your say' Unit Evaluations and Self-reflection.
Feedback
The unit needs more focus on emerging approaches to profiling rather the older FBI methods.
Recommendation
Lectures for the unit next semester will encompass a review of the emerging profiling modalities, with specific attention being given to behavioural evidence analysis and behavioural investigative advice. These new modalities will be contrasted in relation to the FBI methods.
Action Taken
This recommendation was integrated into the unit for 2020.
Source: Informal student feedback and Self-reflection.
Feedback
Students suggested further guidelines on how to write and develop a criminal profile be provided.
Recommendation
An additional lecture will be provided on how to develop and write a criminal profile. This will focus on applying learnt knowledge to develop a criminal profile and incorporate the practical skills needed to produce this outcome.
Action Taken
This recommendation was integrated into the unit for 2020.
Source: Email correspondence
Feedback
The integration of profile examples was helpful for the final assignment.
Recommendation
Examples of offender profiles be retained to support the facilitation of assignment three.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Student feedback
Feedback
Contemporary lectures on criminal profiling assisted in providing career insight to this practice.
Recommendation
Continue the incorporation of current approaches to practice rather than only focusing on historical methods within the lectures.
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Evaluate the efficacy of major models of offender profiling
  2. Integrate and synthesise complex data to profile a single offence type
  3. Apply creative strategies to create a profile of an unknown offender.

N/A

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Essay
2 - Case Study
3 - Laboratory/Practical
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Advanced Level
Professional Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Advanced Level
Professional Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 - Essay
2 - Case Study
3 - Laboratory/Practical