Criminal Minds

Subject 191-220 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 2 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2009.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 1-hour lecture and a 1.5-hour seminar per week
Total Time Commitment: 2.5 contact hours/week , 6 additional hours/week. Total of 8.5 hours per week.
Prerequisites: Usually 25 points of first year criminology subjects.
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability
Subject Overview: This subject aims to provide criminology students with an introduction to psychology as it has been applied to crime and criminal justice. The first part of this subject examines psychological perspectives on the offender. These range from examinations of how offenders' individual characteristics, such as intelligence, are associated with criminal behaviour through to integrated psychological theories of offending. The second part of the subject turns attention to psychology's relationship with justice and law, including examinations of police interrogation, recovered memories of child sexual abuse and multiple personality disorder. By the end of the subject students should be familiar with the psychological perspective on human behaviour and be able to critically evaluate the contribution of psychological theory to understanding criminological and legal phenomena.
Objectives:
  • understand the principles, concepts and assumptions of a number of the major psychological theories as they relate to criminal behaviour;
  • be able to select, understand, and evaluate evidence regarding the validity of these theories;
  • apply and evaluate applications of these theories to the prevention of offending and the management and rehabilitation of offenders;
  • use the preceding knowledge to understand, evaluate and apply other psychological theories;
  • understand and evaluate empirical psychological studies of criminal justice processes associated with the police, courts and corrections;
  • form a view of the potential of psychological theory and research to assist in the understanding of crime and the criminal justice system.
Assessment: An essay of 2000 words 50% (due during semester), a 1-hour class test of 1000 words 25% (due mid-semester) and a 1000 word take-home exam 25% (due on the first day of the examination period).
Prescribed Texts: A subject reader will be available from the University Bookshop
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • have highly developed cognitive, analytical and problem-solving skills;
  • have an advanced understanding of complex concepts and the ability to express them lucidly in writing and orally;
  • have an ability to plan work and to use time effectively;
  • have sophisticated awareness of cultural, ethnic and gender diversities and their implications.
Related Course(s): Diploma in Arts (Criminology)

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