Introduction to Sex Offender Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2014:

5 days of intensive delivery

120 hours

To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted in the Specialist Certificate in Sexual Offender Management. This subject is not available for students admitted in any other courses.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, 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 the Disability Liaison Unit:
http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject is designed to provide an introduction to issues about sexual offending pathways, risk, and effective management of sexual offenders in a correctional or justice setting. The subject will comprise three modules on:

• Understanding sexual offenders: typologies, offence pathways and risk (2 days)
• Motivation: Behaviour change with sexual offenders (2 days)
• Vicarious trauma and self management: The impact of working with sexual offenders (1 day)

This subject will provide knowledge and skills relating to:

• the nature and complexities of sexual offenders, their offence pathways and how to interrupt an offence pathway;
• ideas about risk and the various forms of risk including risk of recidivism;
• interacting with offenders in a way that supports their own motivation to commence and maintain change; and
• self-care strategies, so that students are more resilient and better prepared to protect themselves against vicarious trauma.

Assessment for this subject is in-class group work based on a case study (20%), one two-hour examination comprised of multiple choice and short-essay questions (75%) and individual contributions during class (5%). Assessment will take place on the final day of the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Though participation in the course and completion of assessment students should acquire skills in:
• Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning;
• An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social and technical information from primary and other sources;
• Awareness of and ability to utilise appropriate inter-personal communication methods;
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills to allow informed dialogue about case management issues with individuals and groups;
• Ability to investigate, analyse and solve problems in applied situations;
• Highly developed skills in time and organisational management through participation in all subjects.