UO Aboriginal Australians, Policing and the Criminal Justice System

Undergraduate | 2026

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area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
CRIM 2006
Course ID icon
Course ID
203351
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
2
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

The aim of this course is to explore the cultural, social and political context in which Aboriginal Australians experience policing and the criminal justice system, and the relations of power influencing this interaction. This course examines the causes of the rate of crime amongst and within Aboriginal communities and the cultural context in which Aboriginal Australians experience policing and the criminal justice system. Attention is focused on current government policy initiatives, policing practices and sentencing approaches, as well as on issues of criminalisation, racism and sovereignty.

Course learning outcomes

  • Recognise and understand the relationship between Aboriginal cultural context, racism, policing policies and practices, and over-representation of Aboriginal Australians in the criminal justice system
  • Describe and evaluate contemporary government policies on Aboriginal Australians interaction with the criminal justice system, including the impact of current sentencing approaches
  • Identify alternative approaches to incarceration and evaluate from an Aboriginal-centred practice perspective
  • Critically analyse the relations of power which shape the interactions between Aboriginal Australians and the criminal justice system and debate the efficacy of diverse approaches from a criminological perspective

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A