Overview
Systems of social control can possess a different character depending on whether you are a proponent of regulation or the subject of it. In this unit you will explore the ideas of conformity and delinquency through the lens of regulatory and systems theories in order to understand the impact of the criminal justice system on non-conforming members of society. Regulatory standards change over time and you will consider the history of moral and social regulation and achieve an appreciation of the influence of changing social mores on the criminal justice system, on outsiders and on marginalised communities. These mechanisms of control, both formal and informal, involve an intersection of criminal justice with other disciplines and agencies such as mental health or public planning. In contrast you will also examine the role of other regulatory systems, such as human rights and civil liberties, in protecting individuals from authoritarian control. During this unit you will debate a gamut of different issues including regulation of sexuality, drug use (illicit and legal drugs), control of youth cultures, hate crime, causing offense and supporting terrorism.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE, Student communication
The UC was commended by students for allowing and exploring expression of differing viewpoints and encouraging open communication during workshops
The UC will maintain the open style of workshops and continue to encourage the sharing of viewpoints in relation to unit content and relevant current affairs.
Feedback from Student communication
Students enjoyed the guest lectures and found them beneficial for their learning and application of knowledge to real world contexts.
The UC will maintain the guest lecture series for 2026.
Feedback from SUTE
Students found the Unit content engaging and interesting
The contemporary criminological topics will be reviewed and updated where necessary to maintain the cutting edge and engaging content of the unit.