CRIM 702 : Advanced Issues in Penology

Arts

2024 Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A survey of issues in penology, describing and interpreting specific penal reform strategies in terms of their historical, social, political and economic context. An appreciation of the main themes within penology will allow a greater understanding of the role that punishment regimes play in society and specifically in the criminal justice system.

Course Overview

This course examines key issues in penology, by exploring the role that punishment plays in capitalist society. This requires an examination not only of the punitive apparatus itself, through the analysis of the mode of punishment unique to capitalist society, but also of the material and ideological context in which the punitive apparatus operates. Students will begin the semester by establishing a basis of critical criminological theory, drawing on the historical materialist tradition. They will then move on to apply these concepts to describe and explain changes taking place in the criminal justice system. This course will cover notions of penal populism, risk and risk management, colonialism and tino rangatiratanga, mass incarceration, and class conflict. Our goal is not just to understand how the punitive apparatus works, but to establish a theoretical model for how the punitive apparatus reinforces structural injustice. 

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and explain the role of the punitive apparatus in maintaining the social order (Capability 3 and 4)
  2. Develop a materialist understanding of how the mode of punishment transforms over time (Capability 3 and 4)
  3. Understand the effects of the criminal justice system on different sections of society, particularly Māori (Capability 1, 3 and 5)
  4. Be able to write an essay related to penology, combining academic research and critical analysis (Capability 3, 4 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Presentation 20% Individual Coursework
Essay 50% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of seminar style lectures, and the remainder of hours for reading and thinking about the content, and working on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including weekly classes to complete components of the course.
Other learning activities such as readings will be available on Canvas.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable delivery.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 18/01/2024 12:02 p.m.