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Policing - LAWS8106
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Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Postgraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 2
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Pre-requisite: Academic Program must be 9200 or 9210 or 9230 or 5740 or 9285 or 5285 or 9220 or 5750.
 
 
Equivalent: JURD7506, LAWS3789
 
 
Excluded: JURD7506, JURD7713, LAWS8013
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 1 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

The course will focus on policing as a set of social and legal practices and institutions. It will be particularly concerned with the potential role of law in policing, both as a resource and as a regulator. Comparative material will be used, drawing out similarities and contrasts between policing in New South Wales and elsewhere. Its approach will be inter-disciplinary, drawing on my experience in researching police work in England and Australia and on a wide range of historical, socio-legal and criminological literature.


Recommended Prior Knowledge

Completion of Criminal Law 1 & 2.

Course Objectives

The main objective of this course is to introduce you to the rapidly developing interdisciplinary field of policing studies. While Australian policing studies are still in their infancy, a great deal of research has been produced in the UK, Canada and the US in recent years. This imbalance structures the general aims of the course:
  • To present issues and debates from the international policing literature and to relate them to local developments
  • To encourage critical thought and research on policing in AustraliA
  • To develop interdisciplinary study in criminology and socio-legal studies

Main Topics

  • Introductory issue: Policing domestic violence
  • Models of policing I: From local policing, to professional policing, to community policing
  • Models of policing II: From community policing to crime control policing & beyond
  • Plural policing
  • Policing Aboriginal Australia
  • Risk, security and policing terrorism
  • Fictional representations of policing
  • Police culture(s)
  • Law in policing
  • Stop and search
  • Police interviewing of suspects
  • Drug policing
  • Corruption and reform
  • Reform and accountability

Assessment

Class performance 10%
Research essay proposal 5%
Research essay 55%
Final exam 30%
 

Course Texts

Prescribed
The course is based on materials o be provided. However, students wishing an introduction to the subject could consult:

  • Newburn, T.(ed) (2003) Handbook of Policing (Cullompton, UK: Willan)
  • Newburn, T. (ed) (2005) Policing: Key Readings (Cullompton, UK: Willan)
Recommended
Materials will be provided.

Resources

Materials will be provided.

URL for this page:

© 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.