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Penology - LAWS1005
 Law Books

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 8
 
 
EFTSL: 0.16667 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 4
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: LAWS1001, LAWS1011; or LAWS1610; Corequisite: LAWS2311 or LAWS1010.
 
 
Fee Band: 1 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
  

Description

Penology is an advanced socio-legal, research-based elective involving a study of the field of penality. It should be attractive to advanced level students looking for a research- based elective which enables you to hone your research and writing skills and develop your theoretical, legal, policy and presentational skills in a collegial, interactive teaching environment in which students are treated with respect.


Recommended Prior Knowledge

Completion of Criminal Law 1 and 2.

Course Objectives

  • To study and critically reflect upon a range of materials and issues which arise out of what traditionally has been called penology, or the study of punishment
  • To develop an understanding of the key processes involved in the field of penality (the development of policy analysis skills which are transferable and interdisciplinary intellectual skills)
  • To improve student’s interdisciplinary capacities
  • To enhance the ability to move between theoretical, legal, sociological, criminological and penological, and cultural sources and knowledges
  • To enhance their abilities to produce a publishable quality piece of research work
  • To develop and refine research and writing skills
  • A capacity to construct an argument, both written and oral, which combines doctrinal and interdisciplinary research skills, detailed doctrinal disciplinary knowledge, and enhanced policy skills

Main Topics

  • The historical origins of the prison
  • Contemporary Australian and international statistics and trends, the phenomenon of mass imprisonment
  • The "new punitivenesss"? : The Nagle Royal Commission into NSW Prisons 25 years on
  • Prisoner disenfranchisement, the High Court in Roach
  • Intractables and supermax - Grafton/Katingal/HRMU
  • Litigating Prisoners Rights
  • Indigenous imprisonment in Australia
  • International Human Rights Law applicable to prisons
  • Prisoners as citizens

Assessment

Class participation Preparation and engagement in class 10%
Research paper synopsis 2 pages max. Satisfactory completion
Research paper 5,000 words 80%
Class seminar presentation of research paper 10%
 

Course Texts

Prescribed
Brown, D. and Wilkie, M. (eds) Prisoners as Citizens (2002) The Federation Press: Sydney

Recommended

  • David Garland, The Culture of Control, Oxford Univ Press (2001)
  • Bernie Matthews, Intractable, Pan Macmillan Aust (2006)
  • John Pratt, Penal Populism, Routledge (2007)
  • John Pratt, David Brown, Mark Brown, Simon Hallsworth, and Wayne Morrison (eds) The New Punitiveness, (2005) Willan Publishing (Available through The Federation Press in Sydney)

Resources

Library holdings. Guest speakers. Prison visit organised if possible.

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.