191-421 Contemporary Crime Prevention

Formerly available as 191-019/321. Students who have completed 191-019 or 191-321 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

37.5 points of second/third-year criminology subjects for third year. Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth-year honours in criminology for fourth year.

This subject provides summaries and critical perspectives on crime prevention philosophies and techniques, and analyses current developments in Victoria, other parts of Australia and overseas. Specific topics covered include concepts of crime prevention; situational crime prevention; crime prevention through environmental design; Australian and international experience; social crime prevention; crime prevention and public housing; preventing violence; and crime prevention and the business sector. The subject has a strong practical component, with students divided into fieldwork teams to identify, analyse and propose solutions for crime problems in metropolitan Melbourne. Issues tackled by teams in recent years include vandalism and graffiti at a suburban shopping centre; reducing thefts from vehicles in a major city car park; addressing maintenance and order problems in relation to suburban public toilets; improving student safety on campus; and reducing bullying in schools.

An essay of 2000 words and contribution to a fieldwork team report equivalent to 2000 words. Fieldwork team reports will also be marked and 20% of each student's final mark will derive from the grade awarded for their team's report. Fourth-year students will complete an additional assessment equivalent to 1000 words.

• P O'Malley & A Sutton, Crime Prevention in Australia: Issues in Policy and Research. The Federation Press, 1997.