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Study bachelor degree online with Griffith University through Open Universities Australia. Explore all degrees, subjects and short courses now.

Griffith University’s Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, offered through Open Universities Australia, is a broad-based social science degree examining crime, the criminal justice system and related social issues. All the specialised knowledge and skills necessary for a career in the highly demanding criminal justice system are taught in this degree. This degree focuses on the causes of crime and society&#39;s response to crime. It will give you a well-rounded perspective on the various arms of the justice system and the relationships between them. You will graduate with a professional qualification in the field of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Examine crime and its causes, society’s response and related social issues. Qualify for a career in the demanding criminal justice system in policing, corrections, security, regulatory law enforcement, crime prevention and customs

Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Be prepared for a future career as an innovator, communicator and creator. With our innovative majors you can tailor your degree to both your professional pursuits and your personal interests, creating a unique skill set that could help you secure your dream job.
You will gain the understanding, insight and skill to find and communicate creative solutions to important world issues. You will develop advanced writing and presentation skills as well as research and project management skills. You will also learn about societies and cultures, past and present.
You will have the option to develop specialist expertise in contemporary fields such as journalism and public relations, or more traditional fields such as sociology, history and literary studies to name some.

Develop critical thinking, writing, and research skills in demand across all industries. You can follow your passion with majors and electives that interest you. Develop connections through peer learning, networking, and work experience.

Bachelor of Arts

This new double degree will combine the study of what makes criminals tick with an understanding of the justice system and policy making processes. With a better understanding of how policy is created and applied, plus an understanding of crime and criminal behavior, you will be equipped to influence the policy underpinning the justice system to ultimately deter crime rather than simply responding to criminal behavior.This degree will give you a better understanding of the causes and consequences of complex crime and criminal justice issues and just how it is currently dealt with by government at local, national and global levels. Could you make a difference?

Unlock careers in government and justice with this double degree. Explore how criminals commit crime and are caught. Develop your understanding of policy creation and application. Strive towards crime prevention and make your world a safer place.

Bachelor of Government and International Relations/Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Forensic Science & Criminal Justice

Homicide

Fraud and Cybercrime

Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice

Risk Assessment and Management in Forensic Mental Health

White Collar Crime

Gender, Crime and Justice

Race, Crime and Justice

Youth Justice

Punishment, Justice and Reform

This subject introduces students to criminology and criminal justice. It begins with an examination of the nature of crime, and the ways in which it is defined and explained in contemporary society. A major emphasis of the subject is exploring the dimensions of crime, particularly the relationship between crime and social class (corporation and white collar crime), the links between youth and crime and youth and the criminal justice response, the relationship between gender and crime, and the reasons for the huge over-representation of indigenous people in all parts of the criminal justice system in Australia. The subject also surveys the ways in which crime and criminal behaviour are &quot;explained&quot; via a review of the contemporary literature in criminology theory. The course concludes with an exploration of the criminal justice system as a response to crime.

Examine crime and the ways it’s defined and explained in contemporary society. Study the relationship between crime and class, youth and crime (and the response), gender and crime, and the over-representation of Indigenous people.

This subject introduces students to law, government, and criminal justice in Australia. It explores how laws are made, the influence of politics on law reform, the role of the media, protections for human rights, and the elements of criminal responsibility. It considers the historical treatment of First Nations peoples in Australia&#39;s legal system and the role that law plays in promoting justice and accountability. This knowledge provides a foundation for further study on criminal law and justice systems.

Study the ideas and institutions that contribute to law and its production. You’ll examine the relationship between rules, morality, and justice. Consider the rule of law and the role of judges. Zoom in on First Nations Peoples and the law.

Law, Crime and Justice

This is not a &quot;hands-on&quot; C.S.I.-type laboratory course, nor is it a &quot;war stories&quot; course recounting real world experience applying forensic techniques. Instead, the course will explore the demand for forensic science in the criminal justice system and its impact on the administration of justice. It will include how social science research can help us examine questions about the scientific underpinnings of forensic techniques and services and will assess a variety of forensic techniques, such as DNA typing, fingerprinting, fire and arson analysis, and hair analysis.
Forensic science is enjoying an unprecedented level of attention in popular culture and is having an enormous impact on society. The development of DNA typing and other advances in forensic science are remaking the way crimes are investigated and prosecuted and changing our understanding of the criminal justice system. At the same time, the development of DNA typing has raised questions about the scientific validity of existing forensic techniques.

Put forensic science under the microscope as you explore its place in the criminal justice system. Discover existing forensic techniques, and learn to assess new techniques critically, and scientifically. Master how to communicate forensic findings.

This subject introduces students to the criminal justice process using the crime of homicide. Starting with a focus on the key elements of the crime event, including the current state of homicide in Australia and abroad, students will develop an understanding of serious violent offences through the lens of offenders and victims of violence. Students then learn how the criminal justice system responds to serious violence offences through an examination of the interconnectedness of the police, courts, and correctional agencies. Students will learn how serious violent offences are detected and investigated by the police and move on to an understanding of how these offences are processed in the courts, which includes the criminal trial and sentencing. Students review the various forms of custodial sentencing and will be introduced to concepts of rehabilitation and desistance. Throughout the subject students review the ways that criminological theory has informed the crime of homicide, as well as the criminal justice system and social responses to homicide.

Focus on the key elements of a crime event through the lens of offenders and victims of violence. Learn how serious violent offences are detected and investigated, then consider how these offences are processed in the courts, via trials and sentencing.

This subject provides an overview of the various areas within the criminal justice system in which frontline workers come across people with mental disorders. It examines the way in which the criminal justice system (including police, court, and correctional staff) deals with individuals with mental disorders. In particular, the subject focuses on the identification and treatment of individuals with mental disorders; relevant processes and decision-making in different elements of the criminal justice system; examining contemporary approaches to definitions, diagnostic tools, notions of criminal responsibility and fitness to stand trial; and the use of psychological knowledge, theory, and research to guide reflective practice and build personal, professional resilience.

Investigate how police, courts, and corrections interact with people with mental disorders. You’ll use psychological theory to explore mental health issues that youth, Indigenous people, and women face in the system. Learn the symptoms. Build resilience.

Mental Health, Psychology and the Criminal Justice System

This subject explores the historical, sociological and criminological context of youth justice. This is a field that offers particular challenges for both criminal and social justice. Links are established between youth justice and the various agencies established to work with the young. Particular attention is given to the skills, knowledge and interpersonal strategies required to work with and support young people in the criminal justice field. Consideration is given to legislation governing approaches to young people and crime.Youth justice is an area of the criminal justice system that has experienced considerable change and upheaval in recent years - although some might claim that such changes are more apparent than real. Nevertheless, it does seem that much of the theory and practice of ‘diversionary’ and ‘restorative’ approaches which are being introduced across the broad field of criminal justice, initially have grown out of critical concerns about the treatment and welfare of young offenders.This subject attempts the fairly demanding task of providing students with both an understanding of the socio-historical and criminological dimensions of youth justice as well as providing them with a broad understanding of the skills and competencies needed to work with young people. It does not intend to produce graduates who will be equipped to move straight into employment as youth workers. Rather, it forms a solid basis for those who might wish to train further in youth work, and it acknowledges that many graduates in criminology and criminal justice will in their professional lives find themselves interacting with young people and the youth justice system.Specific examples in the course refer to Queensland, however, the broad features discussed apply Australia-wide. Students are encouraged to explore practices in their own localities.

Police, Courts and Corrections explains the processes that govern the way crimes are investigated, tried, and punished. The course begins with an overview of the aims and functions of the criminal justice system with consideration for the laws and justice principles that underpin it. It then examines the roles and functions of the police, courts and corrective services and the process through which a criminal case progresses through the system, concluding with some reflections on alternatives to traditional practice. Throughout this course, consideration is given to understanding the powers, responsibilities and accountabilities of key criminal justice actors as well as the application of justice principles within the system. The course particularly references the Queensland criminal justice system, however general principles are common to all Australian systems.

Police, Courts and Corrections

This subject examines the incidence of crime, the development of the law and criminal justice processes in response to crime, and the means of punishment to deal with crime. Covering the period from the Middle Ages to the end of the nineteenth century, the focus will be mainly on Europe and the ways in which crime impacted on communities, how the meaning of criminality shifted over time, and the agencies for change in dealing with criminals.

Plunge into the history of crime, law and criminal justice. Dissect how attitudes to crime have shifted over the centuries. Follow the twists and turns of the witch-hunts in the Middle Ages. Look at executions in the eighteenth century and identification of criminals in the nineteenth century. 

A History of Crime and Punishment

This subject focuses on policing in Australia. It commences with its historical development, including the impact of the English tradition. This is followed by an analysis of a variety of organisational issues and an examination of a range of operational strategies of policing.

Introduction to Policing

This subject examines strategies for changing criminal behaviour available within the correctional system, drawing particularly on psychological principles and research. The implications of the various theories of crime causation for correctional programming are considered. A review of specific rehabilitation programs, in institution and community settings, is presented. A critical assessment of the rehabilitation ideal, in terms of ethical, theoretical and practical concerns, is undertaken.

Course results for Griffith University Undergraduate Criminal justice Degrees

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