Development, Developmental Disability and Offending

Overview

This unit provides students with a comprehensive understanding of age-related issues (from childhood, adolescence, adulthood and ageing), as well as an overview of the influence developmental disabilities, such as Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD that are important to the assessment and management of offenders' behaviour. The unit will enable students to recognise and evaluate the role of these different phenomena that influence offending behaviour according to disability status, and help students develop their skills in responding effectively to the needs of clients accordingly.

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Assess developmental factors that influence offending behaviour throughout the lifespan
2. Examine the impact of developmental disability on risk for offending behaviour
3. Contrast the impact of developmental disabilities on offending trajectory, compared to typical lifespan development
4. Evaluate current methods of assessment and management of offenders with developmental disabilities

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Assessment

Content

• Offending trajectory across the lifespan
• Intellectual disability
• Dual disability
• Acquired Brain Injury
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and other disorders