Criminal Justice (CRJS) 493

Overview

CRJS 493 - Risk Assessment and Threat Management is designed as a primer for students who work or intend to work in fields such as law enforcement, institutional or community corrections, and public or private security. Lawyers, educators, health care professionals, and conflict resolution specialists may also find this course helpful in their work. The first section includes a general overview of risk assessment, as well as a brief overview of theories of violence. The remainder of part one is devoted to risk assessment issues focused on various offender groups. The first half of the course closes with a unit devoted to risk management and intervention. The second half of the course focuses entirely on the process of threat assessment and management. During this part of the course, students will be exposed to state-of the-art threat assessment and management procedures, as well as the scientific literature on such topics as stalking and school violence.

Outline

CRJS 493 - Risk Assessment and Threat Management is divided into two parts and sixteen weekly units:

PART I

• Unit 1: Introduction to Risk Assessment and Management; The Nature and Prevalence of Violence
• Unit 2: Theories of Violence
• Unit 3: Approaches to Violence Risk Assessment
• Unit 4: Substance Abuse, Mental Disorders, and Risk for Violence
• Unit 5: Assessment of Risk for General Violence
• Unit 6: Assessment of Risk for Sexual Violence
• Unit 7: Assessment of Risk for Violence Against Intimate Partners
• Unit 8: Risk Management and Intervention

PART II

• Unit 9: Introduction to Contemporary Threat Management
• Unit 10: The Path to Intended Violence
• Unit 11: Identifying Individuals of Violent Intent
• Unit 12: Assessing Individuals of Violent Intent
• Unit 13: Stalking
• Unit 14: School Violence
• Unit 15: Workplace and Institutional Violence
• Unit 16: Threat Management

Evaluation

Your final grade in Criminal Justice 493: Risk Assessment and Threat Management will be based on the grades you achieve on two written assignments and the final exam. Please note that the passing grade for the final exam is 50%. Also note that the final exam will be based on all course materials, including the commentaries in the Study Guide. To receive credit for CRJS 493, students must a) complete all assignments, b) obtain a grade of 50% or better on the final exam, and c) have an overall course grade of at least “D” 50 per cent.

The final examination for this course must be taken online with an AU-approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators who can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Most course materials for CRJS 493 are available online through your Moodle course site.

Textbook

Readings

All readings for this course are available in the Digital Reading Room (DRR). You will be directed to the appropriate readings throughout the course.