191-520 Compliance, Regulation & Crime

The subject dates and HECS/course fee census date for this subject change each year. Check your enrolment record for the correct census date for this subject.

Usually admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in criminology or socio-legal studies.

There is increasing public and political demand that harms and risks to people, the environment, financial systems, and the like, be reduced, if not eliminated altogether. Tighter regulation, including in some cases use of the criminal law, is often seen as the means to reduce these harms. This subject critically analyses the capacity of regulation to reduce harm. It reviews the political context of regulation, the wide variety of regulatory regimes and techniques currently used and the problems faced by regulators. The subject brings together practitioners and students to critically assess the capacity of regulation to reduce risk. The subject uses a wide variety of case examples to encourage discussion and debate about when to regulate and how to do so effectively. Students completing the subject should be able to critically analyse regulation and the regulatory impulse, understand a range of regulatory techniques and their relevance to a wide range of contemporary social harms.

• Have an advanced understanding of the relevant knowledge base in the specialist area;

• have the ability to evaluate and synthesise the research and professional literature in the specialist area;

• have well-developed problem-solving skills in the specialist area;

• Understand the complex range of, and reasons for, compliant or deviant conduct;

• have significant capacity to articulate knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations;

• have a capacity to engage where appropriate with issues in contemporary society;

• describe and evaluate regulatory techniques and practices;

• conduct library and field research into areas of regulator control;

• present orally and in writing reports of their research.

An essay of 1500 words (due two weeks after the end of teaching) 25% and an essay of 3500 words 75% (due mid-September).

A subject reader will be available from the University Bookshop. Case studies for discussion will be provided by the School.