131-210/310 Crime, Law and Punishment in Colonial Victoria

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Subject Description:

This subject aims to provide students with insight into the origins and development of the criminal justice system in 19th Century Victoria. In particular, the course deals with: the nature of the criminal law transported from Britain to colonial Australia and applied to both Aboriginal and White settler populations; the workings of policing agencies and the courts; the social history, treatment and meaning of particular crimes; and the nature of punishment in 19th Century Victoria. Particular emphasis is placed on introducing students to primary materials, in the Public Record Office of Victoria, to facilitate original research into these areas; and in getting students to read some of the major historical works written on the social history of crime and criminal justice. Students will also be assisted to develop skills in using and understanding: criminal statistics, some key criminological concepts, and the history of some important legal concepts.

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