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Unit of study_

REHB3062: Public Offenders: Criminality and Rehab

This unit introduces students to issues relating to the rehabilitation of public offenders including adults (males and females) and youth offenders. Students will study the major theories of criminality and community attitudes impacting on government approaches to rehabilitation and incarceration policy. The unit will examine the different approaches and policies to the incarceration of adult males and females and young people and the goals of these approaches. Special attention will be paid to examining the nature of the objectives and desired outcomes of incarceration. Students will analyse the roles and functions of personnel employed within the prison system, including that of custodial personnel and professional workers. In particular the unit will look at the various health issues associated with public offender rehabilitation, including substance dependence, mental illness and physical health conditions and social disadvantage, the health services available within the prisons and the role played by the various health professionals employed to deal with such problems. Students will also be introduced to the probation and parole system and to the various alternative to fullĀ­time incarceration, including community service, day release, work release, and weekend detention. They will examine the aims and objectives of these alternatives and the roles and functions of professional workers (including health workers) employed to administer these programs.

Code REHB3062
Academic unit Participation Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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REHB3051

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

  • LO1. acquire an understanding and knowledge of a range of theories of criminality, including the theories (liberal theories) that form the basis for the operation of criminal law and those (following positivist approaches) that serve as a basis for rehabilitation/corrective approaches and programs
  • LO2. develop a practical knowledge of the range of programs that serve as the basis for rehabilitation/correction for those who have been found guilty of criminal offences, including probation and parole, community service orders, work release programs, and other options to those of full time incarceration
  • LO3. acquire an understanding of the special problems and needs of minority groups and crime and penal approaches to them. including Indigenous groups, women and crime, approaches to female crime, and approaches to crime by children and adolescents.

Unit outlines

Unit outlines will be available 2 weeks before the first day of teaching for the relevant session.