No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2015

JST435 Psychological Vulnerability, Victims of Crime and Police Investigations (16)

Abstract

This subject is designed to introduce students to the issue of Psychological vulnerability and its impact upon Police investigations, with a particular focus upon the investigation of serious crime. The subject will introduce students to what is meant by psychological vulnerability and will explore various factors that are relevant to an individual's Psychological vulnerability, these include learning difficulties, trauma, mental illness, personality disorders, the responses of victims and witnesses to violent crime. These vulnerability factors will be described and how they might impact upon a police investigation, highlighting particularly the risks to the integrity of the investigation and strategies for minimizing risk.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details prior to contacting their course coordinator: JST435
Where differences exist between the handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration	Grading System	School:
One session	HD/FL	Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
- be able to demonstrate an understanding of the concept of Psychological
vulnerability in adults
- be able to recognise and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
different types of psychological vulnerability including Learning
difficulties, mental illness, personality disorders, trauma.
- be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of
various Psychological vulnerabilities upon policing
- be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Psychological
vulnerabilities experienced by victims of serious crime and how this impacts
upon police work with victims of crime.

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:
Subject Area 1: What is Psychological Vulnerability? - Introduction to learning dificulties, symptoms, and deficits relevant to policing - Introduction to Mental disorders, symptoms, and deficits relevant to policing with a focus upon Schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders - Introduction to personality disorders, symptoms, and deficits relevant to policing - Mentally disordered female offenders - Unusual types of offending, focussing upon Munchausn disorder by proxy - Cultural issues and their relationship with vulnerability Subject Area 2: Victims and Witnesses of Serious Crime, Trauma and Policing - Recognising symptoms of trauma and traumatic stress - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Crisis, suicide and coping - Working with Victims of serious crime focussing upon victims of sexual violence - Working with witnesses of serious crime focussing upon witnesses of terrorist violence Subject Area 3: The Impact of Psychological Vulnerability upon Policing - Victimology and crime investigations - Impact of witnesses and suspects with learning difficulties upon Police investigations - Cultural issues, vulnerability and the impact upon Police investigations - Impact of suspects and witnesses with Mental illness upon Police investigations - Impact of personality disordered witnesses and suspects upon Police investigations - Mentally disordered female offenders and police investigations

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The information contained in the 2015 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 01 October 2015. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.