AZA2461 - Crime and punishment - 2018

This unit focuses on formal and informal responses to crime and punishment. It examines issues relating to sentencing, punishment and corrections, including community based sanctions such as restorative justice. Theories and perspectives of punishment, justice and crime reduction are appraised providing a critical understanding and specialised knowledge of the evolution, elements, aims and applications of punishment within an African and international human rights framework.

The learning outcomes of the unit are to equip students with the following skills:

1. Develop a critical awareness of the structure and functioning of criminal justice in South Africa and internationally;
2. Understand contemporary debates relevant to crime, punishment and criminal justice;
3. Analyse diverse arguments in relation to traditional and alternative forms of policing, sentencing and corrections;
4. Apply punishment theories and perspectives on different contexts;
5. Conduct independent research using appropriate science and technology effectively and responsibly when dealing with crime and punishment without harming society, the environment or individuals;
6. Work and communicate with others as part of a multidisciplinary team to deal effectively with crime and punishment.

Within semester assessment: 65% + Exam: 35%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Criminology and criminal justice - South Africa