Enrolments for 2023 have closed.
Mental Health, Psychology and the Criminal Justice System
Undergraduate | GRF-CCJ110 | 2023
Previously GRF-CCJ10
Course information for 2023 intake View information for 2024 course intake
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.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Mental Health, Psychology and the Criminal Justice System
About this subject
After successfully completing this subject you should be able to:
- Recognise and describe the nature, symptoms, and prevalence of mental disorders in the criminal justice system
- Navigate the criminal justice system policy settings and processes that affect professional practices and interactions with individuals with mental disorders
- Reflect on the unique difficulties and problems for an individual with a mental disorder as they progress through the criminal justice system
- Appraise the competing views and multiple goals within the criminal justice system regarding individuals with mental disorders and their circumstances
- Critique the effectiveness of existing criminal justice system processes, practices, and ethical considerations for engaging with diverse populations and their unique needs
- Develop skills relevant to professional practice within the criminal justice system to provide meaningful contributions and improved outcomes for individuals with mental disorders
- Why should criminal justice professionals care about mental disorders?
- Introduction to mental disorders
- Substance use and mental disorders
- Criminal justice professionals - building resilience
- First responders and people with mental disorders
- Legal/pretrial and people with mental disorders
- Corrections and people with mental disorders
- Rehabilitation and people with mental disorders
- Specific populations - young people and mental disorders
- Specific populations - Indigenous populations and mental disorders
- Specific populations - women and mental disorders
- Bringing it all together
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.
- Online quiz (20%)
- Reflective practice - part 1 (20%)
- Case studies (40%)
- Reflective practice - part 2 (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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 University.
Explore Griffith courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 18
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 20
Entry requirements
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-CCJ10-Introduction to Forensic Psychology (no longer 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 course. 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
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateGRF-CCJ-DEG
Single subject FAQs
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions .
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.