Incarceration, Justice and Punishment
PostgraduateMAQ-CRIX80232026
Course information for 2026 intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 19 July 2026
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 27 July 2026
- Price from
- $4,320
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Incarceration, Justice and Punishment
About this subject
On successful completion, a student will be able to:
- Evaluate and compare the effectiveness and ethical implications of custodial and non-custodial punishment practices across national and international justice contexts.
- Analyse community-based, restorative, and transformative justice frameworks as alternatives to incarceration.
- Interpret sentencing policies and practices within their social, political, and institutional contexts.
- Assess the impact of justice responses on victims, offenders, and communities across different cultural and institutional settings.
- Design innovative, evidence-based responses to crime that prioritise equity, inclusion, and sustainable community outcomes.
- Communicate justice reform proposals effectively to professional, policy, and community audiences using appropriate formats and strategies.
- A week-by-week guide to the topics you will explore in this subject will be provided in your study materials.
Prisons are a standard response to crime, but incarceration raises pressing social, economic, and ethical questions about its effectiveness, equity, and sustainability for the future. As pressure mounts to find more effective and equitable responses to crime, the role of punishment has never been more critical. Through engagement with practitioners, case studies, and real-world policy initiatives, the unit takes a practice-oriented approach grounded in first-hand examinations of the role, purpose, and effectiveness of different forms of punishment and sentencing in contemporary Australian and international justice systems. The unit examines the purposes of punishment for victims, offenders, and communities, asking when prison is appropriate and when alternative responses are more effective. Students will explore how custodial and non-custodial sanctions are implemented, experienced, and challenged. Emphasis is placed on the ethical, political, and practical dimensions of punishment, and on evaluating policy arguments for and against incarceration. Students will develop the capacity to critically assess justice practices, evaluate alternatives to incarceration, and advocate for evidence-based, ethically grounded responses to crime. This unit challenges students to consider effective, just, and sustainable responses to crime.
- Comparative Policy Brief (25%)
- Applied Justice Framework Pitch (30%)
- Advocacy Report (45%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
This research-intensive university in north-western Sydney offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. With over 44,000 current students, Macquarie has a strong reputation for welcoming international students and embracing flexible and convenient study options, including its partnership with Open Universities Australia.
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- QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:
- 11
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:
- 9
Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- MAQ-CRI-MAS-2026 - Master of Criminology
Prior study
To help set you up for success before you start this subject, we suggest completing or having equivalent knowledge in:
Others
Pre-requisite-Admission to MCT(OUA) OR MCrim(OUA) OR MCyberSecAnalysis(OUA) OR MSS(OUA) MIntell(OUA) OR GradCertSecStudCr(OUA)
NCCW (2020 and onwards)
CRIM8023 Incarceration, Justice and Punishment
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.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
PostgraduateMAQ-CRI-MAS