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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Law and Justice

Pre-requisites

LAW00050 - Criminal Process OR LAW00507 Criminal Law and Procedure OR LAW10002 - Australian Criminal Law I OR 96 credit points in any SCU units

Unit aim

Examines the philosophy and principles of restorative justice as an alternative approach to orthodox criminal justice processes. Discusses the theory and practice of restorative justice at various state, national and international levels. Analyses the appropriateness of restorative justice from the perspectives of participants including victims, offenders, state representatives and minority groups such as Indigenous people and people from non-English speaking backgrounds. Examines the application of restorative justice across the spectrum of the criminal justice system, from pre-sentence conferencing to inmate misconduct.

Unit content

Topic 1 Philosophy and principles of restorative justice
Topic 2 Participant perspectives in restorative justice processes
Topic 3 Theories of restorative justice
Topic 4 Critical perspectives on restorative justice
Topic 5 Victim-offender mediation
Topic 6 Conferencing as part of the restorative justice movement: international developments
Topic 7 Conferencing as part of the restorative justice movement: national developments
Topic 8 Case study: NSW conferencing scheme
Topic 9 Cultural appropriateness
Topic 10 Access, ethics and safeguards
Topic 11 Case study: restorative justice within corrective services
Topic 12 Restorative justice at the international criminal law level

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 describe the philosophy and principles of restorative justice
2 identify the difference, and relationship, between punitive justice and restorative justice;
3 describe the practice of restorative justice at state, national and international levels;
4 describe and assess the roles of participants in restorative justice processes, including the victim, the offender, the community and the state;
5 analyse restorative justice theory and practice from critical perspectives;
6 demonstrate skills in legal research, critical analysis and the written presentation of research and argument in the area of restorative justice.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. describe the philosophy and principles of restorative justice
    • GA4:
  2. identify the difference, and relationship, between punitive justice and restorative justice;
    • GA4:
  3. describe the practice of restorative justice at state, national and international levels;
    • GA4:
  4. describe and assess the roles of participants in restorative justice processes, including the victim, the offender, the community and the state;
    • GA4:
  5. analyse restorative justice theory and practice from critical perspectives;
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  6. demonstrate skills in legal research, critical analysis and the written presentation of research and argument in the area of restorative justice.
    • GA1:
    • GA4: