Criminal Minds

Subject 191-220 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.500
Level: Undergraduate
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2008.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 1-hour lecture and a 1.5-hour seminar per week
Total Time Commitment: .
Prerequisites: Usually 25 points of first year criminology subjects.
Corequisites: .
Recommended Background Knowledge: .
Non Allowed Subjects: .
Core Participation Requirements: .

Coordinator

To be advised
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.

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
Recommended Texts:

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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.
Notes:

Formerly available as 191-414 Psychology and Criminal Justice. Students who have completed 191-414 are not permitted to enrol in this subject.

Related Course(s): Bachelor of Arts
Diploma in Arts (Criminology)
Graduate Certificate in Criminology
Graduate Diploma in Arts (Criminology)

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