POL6005 - Miscarriages of Justice and Abuse of Power

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

Miscarriages of justice are becoming more commonplace in today’s world. The societal interest in abuse of power, particularly in public service and the effects of decision making which is not always for the ‘greater good’ can cause a ripple effect that can last for years, shaping society and altering sometimes irrevocably the perception of those entrusted to protect us. Whilst cases like these fixate both public and media attention, beyond the simplicity of newspaper headlines there is often a tireless campaign by the ‘powerless’ to seek justice for themselves, loved ones, and for society to see that justice is not always done. Cases often involve complex underlying dynamics, political interference and corruption in power being used to protect organisations which cause harm. In this module, students examine the concept of power, particularly in public service, how power works to keep law and order, and what happens when that power is not used to protect citizens, but to protect organisations. Students will critically analyse several miscarriages of justice, from different perspectives and examine the harm caused by abuse of power.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Lectures
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: 25-60

Workshops
Hours: 5

Guided independent study
Hours: 135



Further Details Relating to Assessment

Component 1: Podcast: Using a real-life case study, students will complete an individual 10-minute podcast on an injustice / abuse of power investigation, using criminological theory to evidence their argument and decide if the resolution (if there is one) constitutes ‘justice’. Students will be given a range of case studies to choose from, or they can negotiate their own with the module lead.

Formative opportunities to practice the assessment will be built into weekly sessions to allow students the opportunity to experiment and practice with the podcast suite. They will be given the opportunity to submit short pieces for formative feedback, prior to their final assessment to prepare them for this type of work.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 6
Credit Value - 15
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

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