School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    The Psychology of Criminal Behaviour
  • Unit Code

    CRI1104
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Natalie Jane GATELY

Description

Students consider the aetiology, maintenance and expression of criminal behaviour. In particular, psychological theories and physiological factors relevant to an understanding of criminality are examined. Issues such as aggression, aberrant sexual behaviour, and psychopathy are explored. Students also consider approaches to the treatment of criminal behaviour.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded JUS2173

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain how cognitive, learning and psycho-biological factors influence criminal behaviour.
  2. Interpret the clinical features of offender categories in relation to criminal behaviour.
  3. Justify choices of psychological theories based on research to develop a hypothesis.
  4. Use psychological theories to develop a hypothesis about the possible causes of criminal behaviour.

Unit Content

  1. Psychological theories of criminal behaviour.
  2. Biological theories of criminal behaviour.
  3. Mental disorders, drug use and offending.
  4. Juvenile offending.
  5. Arson.
  6. Aggression and violent offending.
  7. Sexual offending.
  8. Treating criminal behaviour.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures introduce the central theories and concepts regarding the psychological causes of offending and related treatments for offending behaviour. Industry relevant guest speakers deliver some lecture content to demonstrate the application of theory in real-world contexts. Tutorials (on-campus or online) allow students to develop their oral communication skills through discussions and small-group exercises. The assessment methods provide students the opportunity to develop their critical thinking and written communication skills.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentOffender Case Exercise20%
ReportOffender Case Report50%
TestOnline Test30%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentOffender Case Exercise20%
ReportOffender Case Report50%
TestOnline Test30%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

CRI1104|3|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    The Psychology of Criminal Behaviour
  • Unit Code

    CRI1104
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Natalie Jane GATELY

Description

Students consider the aetiology, maintenance and expression of criminal behaviour. In particular, psychological theories and physiological factors relevant to an understanding of criminality are examined. Issues such as aggression, aberrant sexual behaviour, and psychopathy are explored. Students also consider approaches to the treatment of criminal behaviour.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded JUS2173

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain how cognitive, learning and psycho-biological factors influence criminal behaviour.
  2. Interpret the clinical features of offender categories in relation to criminal behaviour.
  3. Justify choices of psychological theories based on research to develop a hypothesis.
  4. Use psychological theories to develop a hypothesis about the possible causes of criminal behaviour.

Unit Content

  1. Psychological theories of criminal behaviour.
  2. Biological theories of criminal behaviour.
  3. Mental disorders, drug use and offending.
  4. Juvenile offending.
  5. Arson.
  6. Aggression and violent offending.
  7. Sexual offending.
  8. Treating criminal behaviour.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures introduce the central theories and concepts regarding the psychological causes of offending and related treatments for offending behaviour. Industry relevant guest speakers deliver some lecture content to demonstrate the application of theory in real-world contexts. Tutorials (on-campus or online) allow students to develop their oral communication skills through discussions and small-group exercises. The assessment methods provide students the opportunity to develop their critical thinking and written communication skills.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportOffender Case Report 130%
ReportOffender Case Report 240%
TestOnline Test30%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportOffender Case Report 130%
ReportOffender Case Report 240%
TestOnline Test30%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

CRI1104|3|2