Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

Faculty of Business and Law

School: Law and Justice

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Juvenile Justice

• Unit Code

  CRI3103

• Year

  2015

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  Online

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Description

This unit introduces students to the theoretical explanations of juvenile offending. This unit also explores juvenile justice policies and practices over time. On the completion of this unit, students will have an understanding of the causes of juvenile offending, the major issues that are associated with juvenile offending, the institutions of juvenile justice and the challenges encountered with preventing juvenile offending and dispensing juvenile punishment.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 120 credit points

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Apply the principles of sentencing to young people.
2. Critically discuss the effectiveness of different sentencing strategies.
3. Critically discuss the theoretical explanations of youth offending.
4. Critically discuss youth justice policies and practices over time.
5. Describe the short and long term effects of different types of punishment on young people.
6. Explain the common features of youth offending such as the distribution and nature of offences.
7. Explain the social factors commonly associated with youth offending.

Unit Content

1. Community corrections and young people.
2. Ethical issues associated with young offenders.
3. Historical and contemporary youth justice policies and practices.
4. International and cross-cultural perspectives in youth justice.
5. The courts and young people.
6. The nature and extent of youth crime.
7. The police and young people.
8. Theoretical explanations of youth offending.
9. Working with young people.
10. Young people and drug use.
11. Young people and violence.
12. Young people in detention.
13. Youth offending risk factors.

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit is conducted in both the on-campus and off-campus modes. On-campus students are required to attend a three-hour seminar each week. The seminars are designed to introduce the students to the core theories and concepts relevant to the topic of young people and crime. Seminar activities are used to encourage critical thinking and communication skills though problem-based scenarios. Industry relevant guest speakers deliver some seminar content to help students understand the application of youth justice principals. Assessment methods are aimed at students' academic and professional development and provide them the opportunity to demonstrate their content knowledge, critical thinking and written communication skills. Off-campus students are provided with an electronic recorded seminar each week. All information is delivered to off-campus students via Blackboard. The seminars are designed to introduce the students to the core theories and concepts relevant to the topic of young people and crime. Online activities are delivered via the online modules and the discussion board and are designed to encourage critical thinking and communication skills though problem-based scenarios. Industry relevant guest speakers deliver some seminar content to help students understand the application of youth justice principals. Assessment methods are aimed at students' academic and professional development and provide them the opportunity to demonstrate their content knowledge, critical thinking and written communication skills. Regular online access is essential.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Text References

• ^ Cunneen, C., & White, R. (2011). Juvenile justice : Youth and crime in Australia. (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.
• Stewart, A., Allard, T., Dennison, S. (Eds.). (2011) Evidence based policy and practice in youth justice. Sydney : Federation Press
• Taylor, W., Earle R., & Hester R. (Eds.). (2010). Youth justice handbook : Theory, policy and practice. Cullompton, UK : Willan
• Stephenson, M., Giller, H, & Brown, S. (2011). Effective practice in youth justice. (2nd ed.). London ; New York
• Stephenson, M. (2007). Young people and offending : Education, youth justice and social inclusion. Cullompton, UK : Willan
• Baker, K., Kelly, G., & Wilkinson, B. (2011) Assessment in youth justice. Bristol : Policy Press

Journal References

• Trotter, C. (2012). Effective community-based supervison of young offenders. Trends and issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 448, 1-7
• Potter, D. (2010). Indigenous youth and restorative justice in Western Australia. Journal of Judicial Administration. 92, 92-105
• Snow, P., & Powell, M. (2012). Youth (in)justice: Oral language compentence in early life and risk for engagement in antisocial behaviour in adolescence. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 435, 1-6.
• Hinton, J.W., Sims, P. L., Adams, M. A., & West, C. (2007). Juvenile justice: A system divided Criminal Justice Policy Review, 18, 466-483.
• Fougere, A., & Daffern, M. (2013). Resilience in young offenders. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 10, 244-253.

Website References

• Australian Institute of Criminology http://aic.gov.au/

^ Mandatory reference

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