JUSS1000 An Introduction to Justice and Society

2016

4.5

1 x 2-hour lecture weekly
1 x 1-hour tutorial weekly

1 Admission into BJS-Bachelor of Justice and Society
1a Admission into BJS-LAWP-BJS Law Pathway
1b Admission into BJSCR-Bachelor of Justice and Society (Criminology)
1c Admission into BJSLP-Bachelor of Justice and Society (Law Pathway)
Must Satisfy: ((1 or 1a or 1b or 1c))

Assignment(s), Tutorial participation, Tutorial presentation

This topic introduces students to the main theoretical foundations that underpin the study of justice and society, including debates concerning what the nature of justice, and whether the legal system achieves justice. Students will be introduced to key conceptual frameworks for analysing how people understand and experience the law, including legal pluralism and legal consciousness. Students will also be introduced to a range of local, national and international justice policy issues. Students will examine the way in which social and legal policies are created, the role of interest groups, and the influence of research on the policy process.

This topic aims to assist students to:

• understand the theoretical foundations of the concept of justice;

• understand major conceptual frameworks for understanding how law works in practice;

• understand how the law and legal change are shaped by their cultural, social, economic, political, and historical context;

• consider how lay people experience the law;

• understand the policy process in shaping the legal and social policies;

• identify and critically analyse local, national and international justice issues.

Upon successful completion of this topic students will be able to:

• recognise the main theoretical conceptions of justice;

• identify some of the critiques concerning theoretical conceptions of justice;

• recognise the main conceptual frameworks for understanding how law works in practice;

• apply evidence to illustrate how legal systems may achieve justice;

• recognise models used to explain the policy process

• identify a range of identify local, national and international justice issues.