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Unit of study_

CRIM1001: Introduction to Crime and Criminology

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit considers key ideas and concepts in criminology, including definitions of crime, criminological theories of crime causation, and the consequences of crime. The unit also examines research methods used in criminology and crime research, including the ethics of conducting criminological research.

Unit details and rules

Unit code CRIM1001
Academic unit
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Estrella Pearce, estrella.pearce@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Estrella Pearce, estrella.pearce@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Take-home exercise
30% Formal exam period
Due date: 22 Nov 2021 at 23:59
1500wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Participation Tutorial Participation
Participation
10% Ongoing n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Theory essay
Long Answer Essay
30% Week 06
Due date: 13 Sep 2021 at 23:59
1500wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Methodological case study
Long Answer/Essay
30% Week 11
Due date: 25 Oct 2021 at 23:59
1500wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO2

Assessment summary

  • All assessment tasks must be submitted in this unit, including adequate tutorial attendance. If an assessment task is not submitted a final grade of Absent Fail (AF) will be awarded for the Unit.
  • Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

All assessment tasks must be submitted in this unit, including adequate tutorial attendance. If an assessment task is not submitted a final grade of Absent Fail (AF) will be awarded for the Unit.

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

 

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Work not submitted on or before the due date is subjected to penalty of 5% per calendar day late. If work is submitted more than 10 days after due date, or is submitted after the return date, the mark will be 0.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Understanding the study of crime Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 02 Doing criminology research Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 03 Classical criminology Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 04 Bio-criminology and Psychological Positivism Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Strain theory, and, subcultural crime theories Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 06 Crime, place and space Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Labelling theories and Moral panics Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 08 Political economy and crime: Marxist criminology Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 09 Gender and crime: feminist perspectives and masculinity theory Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Race and the criminal justice system Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Cultural criminology Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Crime and globalisation Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 13 Revision and Take-Home-Exercise Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.

If a unit of study has a participation mark, your attendance may influence this mark.

For more information on attendance, see http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2014/345&RendNum=0.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Essential Prescribed Unit Textbook: White, R, Haines, F & Asquith, NL 2017, Crime and Criminology, 6th edn, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

The textbook can be purchased from: Booktopia https://www.booktopia.com.au/crime-criminology-rob-white/book/9780190307301.html

Also, the publisher is running the 20% off promotion https://www.oup.com.au/higher-education/ebook-sale-sem-2-2021

There are two types of readings for this unit, essential readings and suggested readings. 

Essential Readings must be read each week in preparation for the lecture, tutorial activities and discussion. Demonstrating an understanding of these readings will help you to participate in tutorials and to improve your participation mark, and assist you with completing assessments. You MUST read essential readings.

Suggested readings are additional materials which will provide you with a more in-depth understanding of the weekly topic. These readings may assist you to prepare an assessment or maybe read for your own development and knowledge in a particular area. 

The essential reading and suggested readings for each weekly lecture/tutorial are outlined in our Canvas class. All essential readings will be available electronically with the link in our Canvas class.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge of core ideas and concepts in criminology.
  • LO2. Demonstrate critical knowledge and understanding of the historical and political origin of criminology perspectives.
  • LO3. Demonstrate an understanding of crime research methodologies, including the ethics of conducting criminological research.
  • LO4. Identify and distinguish between major criminological theories including theories of crime causation and the sociology of deviance.
  • LO5. Communicate an understanding of key criminological ideas, concepts, theories and their application, as well, as research methods using oral, written and digital formats via assessments tasks, seminar discussion and tutorial participation.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since the unit was last offered.

Study commitment:

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.