Program Overview

Course Overview

The course CRIM 203, Criminal Justice in Aotearoa New Zealand, provides an overview of the development and implementation of criminal justice, critically examining the significant social, political, economic, and cultural contexts in which 'justice' is undertaken in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Course Details

• Dates: 6 Jul 2026 to 8 Nov 2026
• Starts: Trimester 2
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,156.00 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,893.60 for international students
• Lecture Start Times: Friday 9.00am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 200 hours or 11.1 hours per week for 18 weeks
• Points: 20

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: CRIM 111
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: CRIM 212

Taught By

The course is taught by the School of Social and Cultural Studies — Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be provided once the course has begun.

About This Course

This course examines the criminal justice system of Aotearoa New Zealand, highlighting significant influences that impact upon its operation and successful achievement. A critical analysis underpins the examination, evaluating key justice service sectors through various lenses.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Describe the structure of the criminal justice system in Aotearoa New Zealand.
2. Critically evaluate the cultures and practices of criminal justice agencies and practitioners.
3. Evaluate and critically discuss the impacts of criminal justice measures on different populations.
4. Explain how 'just' responses to 'crime' could be developed in different ways.

How This Course Is Taught

The course will be run with both face-to-face and online options. Students can attend lectures in person or listen to a recording of the live lecture. There will be both in-person tutorials and Zoom tutorials.

Assessment

• Essay: 40%
• "Briefing to the Minister": 30%
• Online Test: 30%

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Attend at least 7 out of 9 tutorials unless excused by the course coordinator.

Lecture Times and Rooms

Lecture times and rooms will be provided in the course schedule.

What You'll Need to Get

• Required Text: "The Aotearoa Handbook of Criminology" by Stanley, E., Bradley, T., & Monod de Froideville, S. (2021), published by Auckland University Press.