Undergraduate - UnitAZA2468 - Forensic criminology: Victim and offender profiling

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Social Science, South Africa
Offered	South Africa Second semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Ms Tara Harris

Synopsis

This course refers to the importance of the crime case study method and the presentation of material to the criminal justice system informed by scientific rigour. Within a legal framework analyses are presented on the reliability and validity of input variables. Analyses refer inter alia to behavioural evidence, pre-sentence evaluations and victim impact statements. Credibility is of crucial importance and psychological factors in eyewitness testimony, scientific data collection techniques, and the role and functions of the expert witness, are presented in concert with court protocols and universal ethical principles.

Outcomes

Understand the study field of victim and offender profiling.
Apply knowledge of forensic criminology to particular contexts
Demonstrate the ability to critically assess offending and victimisation risks
Critically appraise the impact of criminal victimisation on the rights of the individual and that of a just society
Demonstrate knowledge of court procedures, protocols, structures and relevant legislation for the presentation of forensic evidence
Maintain records of the outcome of the case study method and provide appropriate feedback to participant/s in the criminal event, legal practitioners, criminal justice personnel, health worker/s and other stakeholders
Use appropriate science and technology effectively and responsibly when compiling and presenting victim and offender profiles without harming society, the environment or individuals
Work and communicate with others as a member of a multi-disciplinary team to effectively prepare and present victim and offender profiles to particular contexts
Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation

Assessment

Written essay (2000 words): 35%; 2 Tutorial assessments(1000 words): 15% each; Written examinations (2 hours): 35%

Chief examiner(s)

Ms Tara Harris

Contact hours

One 2 hour lecture and one hour tutorial session per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Criminology and criminal justice

Prohibitions

AZA3468, ATS2468, ATS3468