Course Outline

CRM103 Punishment and Corrections

Course Coordinator:Emily Moir (emoir@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

You will be introduced to key issues and developments in official responses to offenders. This includes the history and theories of punishment, including the evolution of prisons and punishment in Australia. You will also examine modern correctional systems, the social costs and benefits of imprisonment, and the personal impacts of incarceration. In addition, you will examine processes of rehabilitation, probation, parole and partial release. Issues such as indigenous incarceration, deaths in custody and the treatment of offenders with mental illnesses will be analysed.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Weekly online learning materials 1hr Week 1 11 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus 2hrs Week 1 11 times
Online
Learning materials – Weekly online learning materials 1hr Week 1 11 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online 2hrs Week 1 11 times

Course Topics

Theories of punishment, History of corrections in Australia, Custodial corrections, Community corrections, Offender rehabilitation and reintegration, Understanding and addressing Indigenous over-representation, Youth justice, Special populations (mature content applies to every course topic)

Mature Content

Drug Use, Nudity, Sex/Sexual references, Violence, Coarse Language, Adult themes

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Apply key theoretical justifications of punishment to historical and contemporary correctional practices Knowledgeable
2 Identify the specific needs of different correctional clients and groups Knowledgeable
Ethical
3 Develop and support their own arguments using evidence-based research and critical analysis Knowledgeable
Empowered
4 Outline and explain the main contemporary processes involved in addressing offending behaviour Knowledgeable
Empowered
5 Apply scholarly writing, research, and reference practice Empowered

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Formative activities will be undertaken in preparation for Assessment Task 1. This will include experiential learning activities, peer review and feedback.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Artefact - Creative Individual 20%
500 words
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Case Study Individual 30%
1000 words
Week 7 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Case Study Individual 50%
1,500 word sentence plan and 500 word reflection
Week 12 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Pamphlet
Goal:
This assessment task requires you to design a pamphlet on the justifications and aims of punishment within a historical Australian prison. The task is also intended to provide you with early feedback.
Product: Artefact - Creative
Authorship Statement:
Format:
This is an individual assessment item where you will create a pamphlet with a standard referencing requirement. You are encouraged to be creative in the design of your pamphlet and include photos and figures. Further details are given on the course site, including a list of prisons for you to choose from.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstrated knowledge about punishment and correctional practices at a selected prison
1
2
Analyse key elements in the theory of punishment and corrections as they relate to the selected prison
1 4
3
Comprehensive research
5
4
Effective communication and design
5
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 2:Screening Assessment
Goal:
The purpose of this assessment is to complete a screening assessment of a correctional client to identify offending risks and criminogenic needs. 

You will use this screening assessment to develop a whole of sentence plan as part of Task 3.
Product: Case Study
Authorship Statement:
Format:
This is an individual assessment item. Further details will be given in class and on the course site, including the case studies for correctional clients. Students will be required to submit this task on Cadmus.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identifies appropriate risk factors and criminogenic needs through the screening assessment
2
2
Comprehensive research to support the analysis
3 5
3
Effective communication and referencing
5
Generic Skills:
Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Whole of Sentence Plan
Goal:
Develop a whole of sentence plan based on the risk factors and criminogenic needs identified as part of Task 2: Screening Assessment. The plan will outline programs and requirements for effective offender rehabilitation.
Product: Case Study
Authorship Statement:
Format:
This is an individual assessment item. Further details will be given in class and on the course site, including the case studies for correctional clients. Students will be required to submit this task on Cadmus.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identifies and applies appropriate interventions and referrals based on criminogenic needs
2 3
2
Critically analyses the research evidence and theories behind correctional interventions
4 5
3
Effective communication and referencing
5
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

Schedule

Period and Topic Activities
Topic 1
Introduction to course
Theories of punishment
History of corrections in Australia
Topic 2
Custodial corrections
Topic 3
Community corrections
Topic 4
Offender rehabilitation and reintegration
Topic 5
Understanding and addressing Indigenous over-representation
Topic 6
Youth justice and special populations

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Michael Cavadino,James Dignan,George Mair,Jamie Bennett 2020 The Penal System 6th edn SAGE Publications Limited

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: