| Semester 1, 2020 On-campus Toowoomba | |
| Short Description: | Police and Society |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts |
| School or Department : | School of Law and Justice |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 099903 - Criminology |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Other requisites
Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at
Rationale
For most people who have any involvement with the criminal justice system, their encounter begins and ends with the police. As gatekeepers to the criminal justice system, where police discretionary power determines progress through or exit from the criminal justice system, the role of police, their effectiveness and the use/abuse of discretionary powers impacts upon public perceptions of police legitimacy, procedural justice and fairness of the criminal justice system, overall. As the frontline agency of the criminal justice system, police services across Australia are also the most costly arm of the criminal justice system. Policing in Australia consistently absorbs about seventy percent of the annual criminal justice system budget. As well, police occupy the foremost position in the criminal justice system, in both practice and resource demands, as well as being the predominant influence on public perceptions of the criminal justice system’s effectiveness. It is therefore paramount to students’ learning within criminal justices studies to gain a deeper understanding of how and why the police function as they do, the challenges present in police work, management and regulation, and addressing some of the (mis)perceptions associated with policing in Australia.
Synopsis
As gatekeepers to the criminal justice system, the police fulfil a crucial role in exercising their discretion to determine who enters the criminal justice system and who does not. To understand the way in which the police function, students commence their studies of policing in Australia with an overview of policing in an historical context and its development over time. Throughout the course students learn about styles and structures of policing, police use of discretionary powers, various policing roles, policing vulnerable and minority groups, and policing within the local and global context. Abuses of discretionary powers and other challenges associated with policing is also examined along with accountability measures in place to mitigate these abuses and challenges.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
- explain policing in relation to the various contexts in which police work;
- critically discuss the necessity for various policing strategies and approaches when policing vulnerable and disadvantaged groups;
- compare and contrast the similarities and differences between fictional representations and the reality of police work;
- engage in group discussions and construct and apply independent thought in response to issues associated with policing;
- discuss the unique challenges associated with police work and how these challenges are managed and/or minimised.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Course overview and introduction to Policing and society | 10.00 |
| 2. | History of policing | 10.00 |
| 3. | Theories of policing | 10.00 |
| 4. | Police structures & organisation | 10.00 |
| 5. | Policing strategies, roles & duties | 20.00 |
| 6. | Policing in local and global contexts | 10.00 |
| 7. | Policing disadvantaged communities | 10.00 |
| 8. | Policing challenges, powers and abuse of powers | 20.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=01&subject1=CRI2212)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Assessments | 65.00 |
| Directed ¾«¶«´«Ã½app | 37.00 |
| Private ¾«¶«´«Ã½app | 63.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Objectives Assessed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Response | 20 | 20 | 09 Mar 2020 | 1,3 | |
| Comparative Essay | 20 | 20 | 14 May 2020 | 2,3,5 | |
| Online Test | 40 | 40 | 29 May 2020 | 1,2,3 | |
| Online Tutorial Discussion | 20 | 20 | 05 Jun 2020 | 4,5 | (see note 1) |
Notes
- Discussions will take place during the course of the semester. Examiner will provide details of each discussion and any associated due dates. Refer to the Assessment Schedule for further information.
Important assessment information
-
Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them, to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination for this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Not applicable. -
¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
-
Referencing in assignments must comply with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC) referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The (AGLC) style to be used is defined by the USQ library’s referencing guide.