School Of Social Sciences And PsychologyPsychological Aspects of Crime and Criminal JusticeWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 101356.2
Discipline: CRIMINOLOGY
Student Contribution Band: 1
Level: 2
Credit Points: 10
Assumed Knowledge
Content of this unit assumes that students have a basic knowledge of psychological practice and psychological research methods and basic knowledge of criminology theory.
Equivalent Units
C2071 - Psychological Aspects of Crime and Criminal Justice
Unit Enrolment Restrictions
Successful completion of 40 credit points.
About this Unit
People commit crimes for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons may be to gratify the person committing the crime – such as financial benefit, sexual satisfaction or emotional thrills. Other reasons are more obscure and it may not be immediately obvious why the crime was committed since the offender appears to get little or no benefit from the act of committing the crime.
Psychological knowledge can be useful in understanding some aspects of criminal behaviour. In this unit, the contribution of criminal psychology to the understanding, apprehension, treatment and rehabilitation of offenders will be introduced and critically reviewed. The relationships between personality, psychological disorder, environmental and situational factors and group influences on criminal behaviour will be explored.