Undergraduate GRF-CCJ113-2023
Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice
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.
$1,892 $2,142
Your upfront cost: $0
Duration
13 weeks
Study method
100% Online
Available loans
- HECS-HELP
- FEE-HELP
Assessments
100% online
Prior study
Not required
Start dates
- 27 Feb 2023
- 28 Aug 2023
With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.
Learn more about Griffith.
QS Ranking 2022
17
Times Higher Education Ranking 2022
13
Need help?
Our student advisors are here to guide you with:
- Enrolling and eligibility
- Fee and loan information
- Credit and recognition for prior learning
Subject details
After successfully completing this subject you should be able to:
1 Appraise historic and contemporary definitions and measurements of crime
2 Identify and apply relevant theoretical frameworks for interpreting and intervening in crime
3 Identify how social contexts have consequences for the operations of the criminal justice system and reflect on how changing values and beliefs interact with individual and societal approaches to crime
4 Employ reflective and empathetic communication skills to recognise and appropriately respond to different contexts and stakeholder groups
5 Interrogate sources and uses of information to determine its utility in criminal justice decision-making
-
- What is criminology? What is criminal justice?
- How is crime defined and measured? And why does it matter?
- How common is crime? Who are the perpetrators? Who are the victims?
- Is crime a way to help get what we want?
- Why do some communities have more crime than others?
- Does the physical environment affect crime?
- Why doesn't everyone commit crime?
- How do people learn to be criminals?
- Are offenders made or born?
- Why does offending change over the life course?
- Who decides what is criminal and does it matter?
- How does the criminal justice system respond to crime?
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
- GRF-CCJ15 (Not currently available)
Others
Students who have completed more than 2 OUA units (GPA 4.0+) and are planning on completing the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice are strongly encouraged to enrol in the degree. Part of this process will involve registering your study plan with Griffith University, which will help to ensure that you are studying the required units.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
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 "explained" 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.
- 4 online Quizzes (40%)
- Scenario Based Problem (40%)
- Reflection Short Answers (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).