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Study undergraduate 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

In this specialised double degree, students will learn about the causes of crime and society&#39;s response to it, whilst developing a core of IT technical knowledge related to Information Systems and Network Security.Graduates of the program will have a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the fields of criminology and criminal justice, including an in-depth understanding of various theoretical frameworks underpinning the study of criminal behaviour, victimisation and criminal justice responses to crime, and crime prevention.Additionally, students will have a broad and coherent body of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in ICT problem solving (i.e., how to use modelling methods and processes to understand problems, handle abstraction and design solutions), ICT professional knowledge (i.e., ethics, professionalism, teamwork concepts and issues, interpersonal communication, societal issues/legal issues/privacy, history and status of discipline), technology building (i.e., programming and human-computer interaction), and/or technology resources (i.e., hardware and software fundamentals, data and information management, and networking).

Combine a knowledge of the criminal justice system with ICT problem solving in this double degree. You’ll unlock careers in cybercrime detection and prevention, intelligence, and law enforcement. Topics range from criminology to coding.

Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Information Technology

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 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 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.

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.

Get an overview of the criminal justice system, from police investigations all the way through to sentencing and rehabilitation. Understand how criminal trials proceed, and the key players involved. Analyse less traditional approaches to justice.

Police, Courts and Corrections

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 subject addresses the question &quot;What is it about individuals and their experiences that produce criminal behaviour?&quot;. Psychologists are concerned with how an individual’s biological make-up, personality, upbringing, current circumstances and so forth produce criminal behaviour. The unit examines criminal behaviour in terms of nine theoretical perspectives: evolutionary theories, genetic theories, biobehavioural theories, psychodynamic theories, trait theories, behavioural theories, social learning theories, development theories, and environmental theories. The unit also examines the implications of these theories for three areas criminology: the functioning of the criminal justice system, crime prevention, and the rehabilitation of offenders.

Delve into scientific theories that explain why people become criminals. You’ll explore links between criminal behaviour and personality, upbringing, and more. Use this knowledge in crime prevention and offender rehabilitation.

Psychology of Crime

This subject covers a range of technology-enabled crimes, including attacks on computer hardware (i.e., viruses, ransomware attacks, etc.) and those crimes in which computers are used as the primary facilitator of the crime (i.e., online fraud, cyber terrorism, cyber stalking, cyber bullying, online child exploitation, etc.).Fraud and cybercrime are evolving and contemporary crime categories. These crimes have significant impact on the financial and emotional wellbeing of victims, along with broader societal impact. Current approaches to preventing, detecting and punishing these crimes have proven to be challenging as governments, law enforcement and regulatory agencies attempt to combat their growing prevalence and sophistication of offender methodologies.Part 1 introduces students to the broad concepts of fraud and cybercrime, providing a foundation on which to develop more specific understandings of the multi-faceted nature of these crimes and their prevalence. We will consider the nature and patterns of offending and cybercrime victimology.Part 2 provides a review of the prevalence and nature of specific types of fraud and cybercrime. Students explore topics ranging from cyber stalking through to cyber terrorism, online investment and romance fraud and identity theft and fraud.Part 3 explores prevention and investigation approaches to cybercrime.

Study the fast-moving world of tech-enabled crime. Cover viruses, ransomware attacks, online fraud and child exploitation, cyber terrorism, stalking and bullying. Consider current approaches to combatting these crimes. 

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.

Rehabilitating Offenders

In this capstone subject, students will combine key concepts, theories and themes with skills in evaluating information and research to address a current industry-relevant problem. Students will develop a &quot;prototype&quot; solution to a problem that is of concern to criminal justice agencies, and other organisations engaged in the prevention and regulation of crime. Students should complete this course in their final year of study. Students should be in the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice to undertake this course, and must have completed at least 180CP of courses, including all 1st and 2nd year core courses in their program. Dual Degree students should contact the Program Director to confirm if this course is to be completed as part of their program.
This subject should be completed in the final year of the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice Program. Students are required to have foundational knowledge in relation to theories of offending, victimisation and the prevention of crime, and an ability to apply that knowledge. It is also anticipated that they will have well-developed time management, research, analytical and communication skills, and be able to work effectively in teams.

Take a practical approach to law as you apply a prototype solution to regulating crime – much like you would in a criminal justice agency. In this final-year subject, you’ll apply criminological theories as you face real-world problems.

Course results for Griffith University Undergraduate Criminal justice Subjects

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