ACR202 - Explaining Crime
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online, Community Based Delivery (CBD)* |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Previously coded as: | ASL209, ASL309 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Mark Wood |
| Cohort rule: | Nil |
| Prerequisite: | Students must complete 4 credit points at any level including ACR101 and ACR102 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ASL209, ASL309 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Note:*Community Based Delivery (CBD): only for students of the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation NIKERI Institute (located at the Waurn Ponds campus) | |
Content
This unit introduces the major theories of criminology which have informed research, legislative and law enforcement debates in Western jurisdictions since the eighteenth century. It examines the role of theory and critical research questions which attempt to explain why crime has occurred, and the structure and functions of the various aspects of the criminal justice system and its agents. A combination of theoretical and applied examples is provided in order to illustrate the importance of, and contradictions between, various theoretical approaches informing our understanding of crime in contemporary society.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Critically engage with your own ideas about the theoretical approaches to crime and criminality, and demonstrate an ability to evaluate your ideas against set criteria | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO6: Self-management |
| ULO2 | Summarise and critically analyse key theories in criminology, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these theoretical approaches | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking GLO6: Self-management |
| ULO3 | Critically analyse the relationship between criminological theory and the criminal justice system, in light of various contemporary institutional and political factors | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Analyse the implications of criminal justice policies informed by crime causation theories for diverse communities, including socio-economically disadvantaged individuals, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and First Nations peoples, considering the broader impact on their well-being | GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking GLO8: Global citizenship |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Research and Writing Exercise | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 4 |
| Assessment 2: Online Exercises | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 3: Essay | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ACR202 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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