Managing Justice: Agencies and the State

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Total of 170 hours

Criminology or Socio-Legal Studies at 1st and 2nd year

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject examines the intersections between social justice and criminal justice in the state's management of individuals and groups it considers to be at risk of harming, or being harmed, by others. Its core interests are to explore the relationship between different agencies and the state in the management of criminal justice in Victoria; the broader socio-political and historical context in which they operate; and the theory-practice nexus. To complement scholarly perspectives on complex social issues, (including, for example, in relation to youth justice; family violence and sexual assault; mental illness; drug and alcohol use; imprisonment detention), guest lecturers from local agencies and institutions will discuss the contemporary practice of criminal justice management in Victoria and implications for social justice more broadly. Students are encouraged to theorise, historicise, analyse and reflect upon these matters including with reference to a particular case study. The subject is of general relevance to social science students and of particular interest to those intending to work in the field and/or pursue internships at undergraduate Honours, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters level.

On completion of this subject students should:

• Understand the socio-economic, political, discursive and historical conditions influencing different conceptions of the relationship between social justice and criminal justice;

• Understand the implications of different conceptions of the relationship between social justice and criminal justice for particular groups and individuals;

• Appreciate the challenges associated with seeking to apply complex criminological theory arising in international contexts to localised criminal justice policy and practice in Victoria;

• Appreciate the complexity of the relationship between government and non-government agencies and the state in the management of social justice and criminal justice in Victoria;

• Be able to critically evaluate examples of different theoretical and applied conceptions of the social justice:criminal justice nexus in Victoria;

• Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

An essay of 1500 words (30%) due mid-semester, and an essay of 2500 words (70%) due during the examination period.

Hurdle Requirement: This subject has a minimum Hurdle Requirement of 75% tutorial attendance. Students are expected to contribute verbally to all tutorials and deliver an individual oral presentation in a designated tutorial.

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Readings will be provided online through the subject's LMS site prior to the commencement of semester.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

This subject is available as Breadth to all non-Bachelor of Arts students.