From Graffiti to Terrorism

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Total of 170 hours

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 explores the motivations underpinning particular types of criminal behaviour. It begins with an overview of various definitions and ways of measuring crime and then looks at the causes of specific offences ranging through graffiti, to animal cruelty, to armed robbery, to illicit drug use, to terrorism. Wherever possible, the words and rationales of offenders are used to give a more grounded insight into the reasons for criminal behaviour. Overall, the course has been designed to facilitate: discussion of criminal events which feature prominently in the public mind and/or the popular media; discussion of the relationship between the perceived causes of crime and responses to criminal offending by police, courts and corrections; and discussion of the implicit models of personhood, choice, gender, economic position, geographic location, peer group dynamics and other variables underpinning particular theories of criminal behaviour and formal and informal mechanisms for controlling such behaviour.

On completion of this subject students should:

• Be able to identify the major theoretical perspectives of crime causation;

• Be able to use and understand key concepts and terms within criminology;

• Understand criminological debates about institutional techniques used to measure, classify and define crime;

• Appreciate the impact of social, cultural, historical and legal responses to criminalisation and crime control;

• Have an awareness of cultural, ethnic and gender diversities and their implications in crime causation and social control;

• Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.

• A 600 word report (15%) due early in the semester.
• A 2000 word essay (50%) due mid-semester.
• A 1400 word take-home exam (35%) due during the examination period.

Hurdle Requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject. Regular participation in tutorials is required.

Note: 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.

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 Music
• 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.

Available as a Breadth subject to non-Bachelor of Arts students

Graduate students who have previously completed this subject in their undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne are not permitted to enrol in this subject.