Overview

This unit introduces students to the range of specific risk assessment tools that are available for different types of risk assessment (e.g., sexual offending, violent offending, and other offending). The unit will enable students to critically appraise the strengths and weaknesses of risk assessment tools, to generate violence risk formulations and to effectively communicate the results of risk assessments.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-August-2026
01-November-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-August-2026
Census date
01-September-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-September-2026
Results released date
08-December-2026

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Analyse research evidence to determine the most appropriate risk assessment instrument for a particular case, evaluating its appropriateness for the individual's demographic features (including the person's gender and ethnicity, e.g., First Nations)
  • Appraise advanced knowledge to communicate a risk judgment in a best-practice manner
  • Construct a violence risk formulation that is informed by theoretical models of violence risk formulation and research evidence of risk factors

Teaching methods

Hawthorn Online

Activity Type Activity Total Hours Number of Weeks Hours Per Week
Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning 150 12 weeks 12.5
Total Hours: 150 Total Hours (per week): 12.5

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Case VignetteIndividual 25% 2,3 
Case VignetteIndividual 40% 2 
Research and Short Answer QuestionsIndividual 35% 1,2 

Content

  • Risk assessment considerations and communication
  • Violence risk assessment
  • Sexual offending risk assessment
  • Other common problem behaviours and risk assessment
  • Violence risk formulation
  • Ethical issues in risk assessment
  • Legal issues and risk assessment
  • GA5 Digital Literacies 1 - Information literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.