Overview

This unit provides students with background knowledge necessary to understand and communicate about risks of violence and other forms of offending. The unit will enable students to interpret violence risk assessments, help to develop risk management plans, and to understand the kinds of individual and environmental factors that are associated with increased risk of offending.

Requisites

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discuss the evolution of violence risk assessment approaches
  • Formulate and elaborate on the benefits and controversies associated with violence risk assessment
  • Assess criminogenic factors and determine their relevance to risk assessment
  • Appraise risk factors associated with self-harm and suicide

Teaching methods

Hawthorn Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Workshop
12.00 1 week 12
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
11.50 12 weeks 138
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Case PresentationIndividual 30% 
Case VignetteIndividual 35% 1,3 
Case VignetteIndividual 35% 1,4 

Content

  • Basic concepts in risk assessment
  • Assessing risk in different contexts
  • Approaches to risk reduction and risk management
  • Managing the risk of aggression
  • Self-harm/suicide risk assessment and management
  • Systemic risk management

Study resources

Reading materials

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