Course coordinator
Dr Zoe Staines
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Social Science School
The course provides students with a critical understanding of the theoretical and policy issues associated with the punishment and treatment of offenders. In doing so, the course examines the broader context of social control within modern societies, and the impact of institutions on social interaction.
During the 20th century imprisonment rates have increased dramatically in Australia and elsewhere, despite evidence suggesting that crime rates are declining. Incarceration also disproportionately affects some groups more than others (e.g., men, people of colour, First Nations peoples). Why, however, is this the case? Does it have any relationship to the amount and severity of crime? Are there other reasons for the rise in imprisonment rates? This course explores these questions and others related to systems of punishment in Australia and beyond. On successful completion of the course, students will have gained an understanding of the origins, consequences and alternatives to current systems of punishment and sentencing. Students will critically engage with the dominant rationales and sociological theories of punishment and further explore these perspectives by applying them to current issues in punishment and sentencing including specialised courts,ﾠIndigenous perspectives on decolonising punishment, sex offender notification schemes, fines, and restorative justice.ﾠ
CRIM2100 includes a weekly seminar/workshop that is taught in-person, which means you must attend campus to participate. There is no zoom option for this seminar. The course also includes weekly lectures that are recorded and posted on Blackboard in advance of the weekly seminar. It is important to have listened to lecture recordings before attending the weekly seminar.ﾠ
The course relies on Blackboard in order to provide students with the recorded lectures, learning materials and activities relevant to each week’s learning module. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with the course Blackboard site before the first week.ﾠ
Students are expected to spend at least 10 hours each week on this course. This time can be roughly divided into three contact hours comprising a combination of seminar discussions and on-line lecture recordings.ﾠThe remaining seven non-contact hours should be spent carefully reading and critically reflecting upon the required readings before listening to each lecture, as well as reviewing previous class materials and completing the assessment tasks.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
2 units Level 1 CRIM course
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
CRIM1000 and CRIM1019
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Enquiries School of Social Science
Level 3, Michie Building (09), St Lucia campus, The University of Queensland.
Monday-Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Zoe Staines
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Seminar program
Students enrolled in CRIM2100 will meet for approximately 2ﾠhours each week. There is no Zoom option for the seminar. Group discussions are a fundamental part of the learning objectives of this course. Students are encouraged to actively participate in seminars to support their learning.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students with an overview of systems of punishment and sentencing, especially in relation to the historical, social, political and ethical contexts that underpin the punishment and treatment of those identified as offenders. The course will encourage students to critically analyse the concept of 'social control' and its effects on current punishment regimes. Students will apply enhanced knowledge to assess problems arising in current systems of punishment. The course will include an examination of key case studies in modern punishment including specialised courts, Indigenous perspectives on decolonising punishment, sex offender notification schemes, fines, and restorative justice.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
understand how social, historical, cultural and political forces shape the form, practice and lived experience of punishment;
LO2.
demonstrate capacity to source, review, evaluate and apply research addressing the implications and effects of punishment for individuals and communities;
LO3.
demonstrate enhanced skills of problem solving, critical thinking and reflection in diverse contexts; and
LO4.
demonstrate enhanced communication employable in diverse settings.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflection | Engagement and Worksheet | 20% |
21/03/2025 2:00 pm 4/04/2025 2:00 pm
Weeks 4 & 6 only - Due 2pm Fridays |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Industry Problem Research Paper (1,500 words) | 40% |
17/04/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Take Home Assignment (1,200 words) | 40% |
22/05/2025 2:00 pm
Opens Monday Week 12, Due Thursday week 12, by 2pm |
Assessment details
Engagement and Worksheet
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
21/03/2025 2:00 pm
4/04/2025 2:00 pm
Weeks 4 & 6 only - Due 2pm Fridays
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
The seminar program is designed to encourage your active engagement with and critical reflection on the course content. Seminars are held in-person on the St Lucia Campus at the scheduled time. Seminars will include small-group and class discussion, role-play and problem-solving activities.
In two designated weeks, students will be assessed for their completion of a discussion worksheet. The worksheets pose questions that ask you to reflect on the discussion in the room as well as your understanding of the readings and lectures.
Seminar-related questions to be addressed on the worksheet will be released during the seminars. Note that you are responsible for the material covered in all seminars. Seminar questions posed in each designated week can refer to the current and/or earlier seminars.
You are also highly encouraged to draw on course readings and lectures and your own critical reasoning in completing the worksheets. Details are provided in the marking rubric. Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Each discussion worksheet is worth 10% of your overall grade (20% for both worksheets, overall).
The Use of AI: This assessment task evaluates student’s abilities, skills and knowledge. Students are welcome to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this assignment for the purpose of improving their writing / communication (e.g., sentence structure, spelling, tone). However, the substantive content - including the ideas, argument/thesis of the assignment - must be the student's own work completed without the use of AI. Students are reminded that UQ has guidelines around the use of AI (see here: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/study-and-learning-support/ai-student-hub/uqs-rules-using-ai). All students must include an acknowledgement of whether, how, and to what extent AI was used in their assignments. Wording for this acknowledgement will be provided to students at the beginning of the semester, and must be submitted with each of their assignments for this course.
See Blackboard for further details about this assessment.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ) and approval from the Course Coordinator.
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Industry Problem Research Paper (1,500 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
17/04/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
A current problem or issue relevant to the field of corrections will be presented to the class near the beginning of the semester.
To address the industry problem, students will prepare a 1,500-word research paper (plus or minus 10%, excluding references). The paper is designed to test your critical understanding of the course material as applied to the problem. Details of the topic and paper requirements will be posted on Blackboard near the beginning of the semester.
The paper must include a minimum of seven scholarly sources. However, students are reminded that this is a research paper which requires that any and all sources must be cited when discussing, summarising, or paraphrasing the ideas or research of others. Please review the UQ Student Academic Integrity policies here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/student-integrity-and-conduct/academic-integrity-and-student-conduct
The paper must include proper citation following the APA 7th style of referencing, please refer to the guide available in the library (https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7). Appropriate sources include monographs, book chapters, journal articles, and government reports. Publications that are available electronically (such as from the Trends and Issues series from the Australian Institute of Criminology, reports of the Crime and Misconduct Commission, or articles from journals available through the library’s electronic holdings) can be used.
The paper must be double-spaced and typed (in 12-point font), with each page numbered. Please ensure that the paper has been proof read. For further information about the presentation of the paper, students should refer to the School of Social Science Assessment Writing Guide .
The Use of AI: This assessment task evaluates student’s abilities, skills and knowledge. Students are welcome to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this assignment for the purpose of improving their writing / communication (e.g., sentence structure, spelling, tone). However, the substantive content - including the ideas, argument/thesis of the assignment - must be the student's own work completed without the use of AI. Students are reminded that UQ has guidelines around the use of AI (see here: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/study-and-learning-support/ai-student-hub/uqs-rules-using-ai). All students must include an acknowledgement of whether, how, and to what extent AI was used in their assignments. Wording for this acknowledgement will be provided to students at the beginning of the semester, and must be submitted with each of their assignments for this course.
The paper must be submitted electronically via Turnitin (on Blackboard).
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Take Home Assignment (1,200 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
22/05/2025 2:00 pm
Opens Monday Week 12, Due Thursday week 12, by 2pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
A Take Home Assignment will be available on Blackboard at 2pm on Monday 19 May. This assignment will assess your knowledge of material presented in lectures, discussions and readings over the course of the entire semester. The purpose of the assignment is to give you the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of the relevant skills and theories to which you have been exposed during the course.
Your assignment will include short essay questions. You will have a total of 1,200 words to answer both questions, rather than 1,200 words for each question.
This is an open-book assignment, however, you are limited to course materials ONLY. You are prohibited from using materials outside of the course materials. You are prohibited from working with others.
The rules of academic integrity and proper citation apply. Please review UQ's Student Academic Integrity Policies here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/student-integrity-and-conduct/academic-integrity-and-student-conduct.
Sources that you rely on to answer the questions must be provided at the end of the assignment (your reference list will not be included in the word count). Papers must follow the APA 7th style of referencing, please refer to the guide available online from the library.
You will have 72 hours to complete the assignment. Submission will be electronic only via Turnitin. Papers and take-home assignments submitted after the final due date will accrue a late penalty of 10% per calendar day (including weekends and public holidays) of the marks available for the assessment item.
The use of AI: The Use of AI: This assessment task evaluates student’s abilities, skills and knowledge. Students are welcome to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this assignment for the purpose of improving their writing / communication (e.g., sentence structure, spelling, tone). However, the substantive content - including the ideas, argument/thesis of the assignment - must be the student's own work completed without the use of AI. Students are reminded that UQ has guidelines around the use of AI (see here: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/study-and-learning-support/ai-student-hub/uqs-rules-using-ai). All students must include an acknowledgement of whether, how, and to what extent AI was used in their assignments. Wording for this acknowledgement will be provided to students at the beginning of the semester, and must be submitted with each of their assignments for this course.
Further details about the Take Home Assignment, (including questions, word limits, marking criteria), as well as advice for preparing for the assignment, will be posted on Blackboard in advance of the assignment release date.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
As this is a timed assessment, extensions are not available.You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Modules https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
School Guide for Written Assessments: School of Social Science Guide for Written Assessments
Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The marks and feedback for the final assessment item will only be made available to the student on the Finalisation of Grades date at the end of semester.
Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Seminar |
Weekly Seminars This course is taught in-person during weekly seminars. It is important to engage in weekly seminars to get the most out of this course. Seminars will include a combination of group discussion and individual learning materials. The weekly seminar topic is related to the lecture material. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Lecture |
Weekly recorded lectures Weekly lectures of ~1 hour each will be recorded and available on Blackboard. Students must listen to these lectures prior to attending the weekly seminars. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.