Units

---

Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Forensic Psychology is readily acknowledged as one of the fastest growing areas of psychology in the world. Psychologists are now involved significantly in policing, judicial procedures and correctional processes. The term 'forensic' literally means 'of or used in law courts' (Australian Oxford Paperback Dictionary). The term 'psychology and the law', however, is now used more generally to describe the different ways in which psychology and law intersect - namely the psychology of the law, psychology in the law, and psychology by the law. By its very nature the study of psychology and law draws from a wide multi-disciplinary base for the application of specialised knowledge. As a student of this discipline area, you will need a broad introductory appreciation of (and a critical perspective on) what the study of psychology and the law involves and what it has to offer across the three criminal justice domains of the police, the courts, and corrections.

Aims

This unit has a three-fold aim: to introduce you to the overlap between psychology and the law; to assist you in understanding the influence and impact of this branch of psychology within the criminal justice system; and to outline the sphere of psychology and the law as field of study.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, you should have attained the following:

1. Knowledge of the contribution that psychology makes to our understanding of criminality and the legal and criminal justice system processes.


2. The ability to explain the psychological dynamics involved in the interaction between participants and practitioners in the criminal justice system.


3. An understanding of the research findings related to psychological explanations of crime and the efficacy of psychological interventions in the legal system.


4. The ability to critically reflect on the impact of psychological processes on the functioning of the legal system.

Content

This unit will cover a variety of topics including theories of crime, profiling, criminal careers, sexual and violent offenders, victims of crime, interviewing suspects, telling and detecting lies, interviewing witnesses, eyewitness testimony, juries, psychology and policing, crime and punishment, and crime prevention and interventions.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit will be taught using both lecture and tutorial formats. The emphasis will be on student learning through quality interaction and active participation in lectures and tutorials and through analysis of the set readings. Lectures in this unit will be delivered by both Justice Studies and Psychology staff, and all lectures will be available on the unit's QUT Blackboard site.

Assessment

Formative assessment provides you with either written or verbal feedback for a piece of assessment and summative assessment provides you with a mark that will contribute to your final grade in the unit.

In addition to submitting hard copies of your assessment you are required to electronically submit all written assignments through SafeAssign for content matching checks.

Assessment name: Literature Review
Description: Literature Review (1,500 words max.)
This item of assessment requires you to critically review the literature with reference to an important psychological issue or question faced by the justice system. A list of possible topics/questions will be provided in Week 1.
Relates to objectives: 3, 4
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: week 5

Assessment name: Presentation
Description: This group item of assessment is designed to assess individual contributions, content quality and communication and team work skills. Each team presentation has responsibility for making deliberations and determinations about an issue that affects one type of participant within the legal-justice system (eg. offenders - rapists, serial killers, juveniles, mentally ill, etc.; victims - children, experts; police - specialist squads or sections [domestic violence], courts - legal adjudication, jury trials, etc.; corrections -prisoners' rights group, community corrections, etc.
Relates to objectives: 2
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: week 8

Assessment name: Examination (Theory)
Description: There will be a total of 80 multiple choice type questions in this exam. The questions for the exam will be based on the lectures, readings and material covered in the tutorial workbook for each week of a lecture topic.
Relates to objectives: 1, 3, 4
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

There is no set text for this unit. Readings for this unit will be listed in the Unit Information on the QUT Blackboard site, and will be made accessible online via the PYB215 QUT Blackboard site (in the CMD: Course Materials Database).

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 23-Jul-2012