Units
Youth Justice
Unit code: JSB372
Contact hours: 3
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
This unit is concerned with the way in which a 'youth crime problem' is constructed and the implications of this for particular cohorts of young people in contemporary Australia. It is also concerned with the administration and management of youth crime through formal systems designed to prevent and reduce unlawful acts. Particular attention is drawn to the historical development of youth justice in Australia and to the changing nature of youth crime control across jurisdictions. Contemporary articulations of youth crime control are examined in relation to Queensland's system of youth justice, particularly as this relates to young indigenous people, young women and those from various social classes and ethnic groups. Theoretically, the unit takes as its starting point a genealogical analysis that focuses on questions of knowledge, power, regulation and discipline. These are discussed in relation to the contemporary government of young people in Australia and other 'western' countries.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
The unit teaches specialised knowledge to students in their final years of study and is imperative for students interested in working in the field of juvenile justice. It connects broader knowledge about policing and criminal justice with specific issues relevant to young people who become involved in the criminal justice system, with a focus on socially just outcomes for young offenders.
Aims
The aim of this unit is to provide students with knowledge about juvenile justice in the Australian context and to critically examine the importance of the social, cultural, historical, economic, contexts in young offending.
Objectives
1. Understand the juvenile justice system and demonstrate the graduate attribute of content knowledge
2. Critically examine popular views of youth crime in Australia and demonstrate the graduate attribute of critical thinking and research
3. Discuss youth crime in relation to the broader concerns of social and criminal justice and demonstrate the graduate attribute of social justice orientation
4. Critically evaluate current youth crime policy and practice in Australia and demonstrate the graduate attribute of reflective practice
Content
This unit will provide students with a knowledge and understanding about the nexus between youth and crime. It will also make students proficient in a range of high level critical thinking skills as they think through youth crime issues in terms of social justice for offenders, victims, and communities. The unit will therefore work through the following broad content areas:
What is youth crime? Unit overview, definitions, and statistics
Historicising and theorising youth crime
Legislating and policing youth deviance: how does contact with juvenile justice start?
Sentencing and regulating youth deviance: how does contact with juvenile justice finish?
Girls, boys, and juvenile justice
Indigenous youth and juvenile justice
Youth, sex and violence
Ethnic gangs, riots and the policing of young people
Youth conferences, diversion and restorative justice
Working with young offenders: some issues for the real world
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
This unit will provide students with a knowledge and understanding about the nexus between youth and crime. It will also make students proficient in a range of high level critical thinking skills as they think through youth crime issues in terms of social justice for offenders, victims, and communities. The unit will therefore work through the following broad content areas:
What is youth crime? Unit overview, definitions, and statistics
Historicising and theorising youth crime
Legislating and policing youth deviance: how does contact with juvenile justice start?
Sentencing and regulating youth deviance: how does contact with juvenile justice finish?
Girls, boys, and juvenile justice
Indigenous youth and juvenile justice
Youth, sex and violence
Ethnic gangs, riots and the policing of young people
Youth conferences, diversion and restorative justice
Working with young offenders: some issues for the real world
Assessment
Assessment in this unit targets critical engagement with ideas about youth justice and the juvenile justice system to produce more socially just youth justice practitioners. It is expected that all assessment will evidence engagement with current literature in this area and that students are adhering to the QUT Harvard referencing style. Students need to refer to the extended Unit Information document for the unit for more detailed information about all assessment items for this unit. All assessment in this unit is to be submitted electronically only (using Safe Assign and the assignment upload areas on the Blackboard unit site), as per the guidelines in the Unit Information document.Students in this unit are provided with focused feedback on all assessment items. All assessment will receive formative feedback in the form of detailed written comments and all assessment will be summative in that it will contribute to the students' final grade in the unit. General feedback (including comments about what was done well and what required improvement) about each assessment item is also provided to all students under the 'Feedback' section on the Blackboard site.
Assessment name:
Poster Presentation
Description:
This project seeks to engage you with an area of interest about the juvenile justice system as a public pitch for juvenile justice reform. You focus on a particular part of the juvenile justice system and argue a case for an alternative approach in a 1000 word mini-essay. You also need to depict your argument visually in a pictorial section, and annotate the three most important scholarly sources you used in your research for the project in 500 words. You will need to draw on literature and research from the unit and library-based research. You are assessed according to specific criteria outlined in detail in the unit information.
Relates to objectives:
1. Understand the juvenile justice system and demonstrate the graduate attribute of content knowledge
2. Critically examine popular views of youth crime in Australia and demonstrate the graduate attribute of critical thinking and research
3. Discuss youth crime in relation to the broader concerns of social and criminal justice and demonstrate the graduate attribute of social justice orientation
Weight:
40%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 5
Assessment name:
Quiz
Description:
This online quiz will examine your content knowledge of youth justice and will assess your understanding of socially just outcomes of the juvenile justice system. Questions will focus on content from week six to week ten of the unit.
Relates to objectives:
1. Understand the juvenile justice system and demonstrate the graduate attribute of content knowledge
3. Discuss youth crime in relation to the broader concerns of social and criminal justice and demonstrate the graduate attribute of social justice orientation
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 10
Assessment name:
Essay
Description:
This essay will involve a 2000 word critical analysis of youth justice policy/practice/strategy that is an element of a juvenile justice system either internationally or in Australia. This assignment requires that you think critically about this specific element in terms of the underlying assumptions about young people that inform it. As such, you will need to draw on literature and research from the unit and library-based research, and apply these to the policy/practice/strategy that you choose. Part of the research for this assignment involves accessing government reports, websites, policy documents, etc.
Relates to objectives:
1. Understand the juvenile justice system and demonstrate the graduate attribute of content knowledge
2. Critically examine popular views of youth crime in Australia and demonstrate the graduate attribute of critical thinking and research
4. Critically evaluate current youth crime policy and practice in Australia and demonstrate the graduate attribute of reflective practice
Weight:
40%
Internal or external:
Both
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 13
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
Carrington, K and Pereira, M, 2009, Offending Youth: Sex, crime and justice, Federation, Annandale.
Youth Advocacy Centre Inc, 2010, Laying Down the Criminal Law: A handbook for youth workers, Youth Advocacy Centre, Brisbane.
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: 30-Oct-2012
