First Peoples and Criminal Justice - Assessment 3: Critical Justice

Students will be required to write a 1200-word critical review and analyse a criminal justice policy, legislation or program.

Students can choose a policy/law/legislation/program that has been established within the CJS (Criminal Justice System). Students should be analysing a particular policy, issue or criminal incident and form an argument that conveys ways in which the criminal justice system can shift the narrative as well as addressing any issues presented with a particular policy, issue or criminal incident that ensure First Nations voices are centred. 

What is a critical review?

A critical review (sometimes called a critique, critical commentary, critical appraisal, critical analysis) is a detailed commentary on and critical evaluation of a text. You might carry out a critical review as a stand-alone exercise, or as part of your research and preparation for writing a literature review. The following guidelines are designed to help you critically evaluate a research article. 

"Reviewing a text requires the reviewer to think critically about the text to ascertain the author’s argument and to give a critique. Therefore, no proper review can be done without adequate understanding of the text. This requires reading the text at least twice. The first reading should help the reviewer to familiarize him/herself with the overall content of the text and to note any impressions formed. The initial impressions are then tested in the second reading, confirmed and conclusions drawn. As the reviewer goes through the text he/she/they must ask questions such as:

1. What seems to be the author’s main purpose or point?
2. Is this purpose aimed at any particular group of readers?
3. What information or knowledge does the text convey?
4. What personal or practical meaning does the text have for the reader?
5. What are the most appropriate terms by which to evaluate the text?
6. How successfully did the author carry out the overall purpose(s) of the text?" (Boaheng 2020 n.p.)

We’ll write customized paper for you.
Get Upto 30% OFF on your Order!

Order Now Whatsapp Now

Structure suggestions

Introduction

An introductory paragraph identifies the work, its author and purpose, and presents a statement of your evaluation of the text (thesis statement), and gives some indication of whether the author achieves the stated purpose of the study or not. A strong introduction shows a solid grasp of the issues and provides a clear outline of the scope of the review.

Body

The body of the review must give a clear overview of the contents of the book, the special purpose for the audience of the book, and the reviewer's reaction and evaluation. It presents a summary of the main argument/evidence/ findings/conclusions/implications of the text. Use reporting speech (verbs) to make clear you are presenting the author’s views. A statement about the place of the study in a wider field—other studies of the same genre, other studies by the same author—and explanation of the points of similarity or difference. It gives an evaluation or a critique, indicating the strengths/usefulness of text and the weaknesses/limitations/problems of text. Support your critique with evidence from other literature and the text. Each of these should be presented in a paragraph.

Conclusion

A conclusion that summarises the previous discussion, restates your final judgment on the usefulness and scholarly value/contribution/importance of the text to understanding of the topic (whether or not it is valuable for adding insight, and if so, why, if not, why not). Comment on the future of the issue/topic or implications of the view expressed. Solid concluding section drawing together important points made in essay is very necessary. Finally, list of works cited in the review under the heading “References.”

Tips for the assessment regarding terminology:

There is a number of ways that Aboriginal people are titled. However, there can be ways that we are written about that can or are offensive.

As a (personal) general rule, I always write Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Always capitalise the first letter in each: Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander etc.

Please never shorten to the acronym. Using it (which I will not be, so I am hoping you all understand what I am talking about), is really offensive as we are more than an acronym and it limits the diversity of cultures, implying that we are a monculture. Plus, it is just lazy writing. However, when you are using an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation, and they shorten their title to an acronym - please feel free to use it as they do. For example - VALS, ATSILS, NATSILS etc. 

Thanks to Pauline Hanson, the term Indigenous should try to be avoided, as it means someone born of the place. So, anyone born in this country is Indigenous. 

Please avoid adding Australian to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander as this too, comes across as insensitive to the past treatment. By this, it continues the ownership of us by Australia, which is a colonial name for this country and most Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people do not identify with being Australian due to colonisation.

Please refrain from pluralising Aboriginal. For example: Aboriginals - reasons are similar to why it is inappropriate to use the acronym.

If you are talking about a particular Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, research who their mob is and use that, in lieu of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

****Please note***** 

When you are using a direct quote, you must use the words exactly as they are written, which means that everything I have stated above is void.

Please make sure your spelling is correct, and as I have already stated, capitalise the first letter of each word - again, unless you are using a direct quote.

Referencing

Creative Spirits/ Korff Citing

PLEASE!!!!!!!! - and I am absolutely BEGGING you all, NOT to use Korff/Creative Spirits as a source of research. Korff was a German Tourist, who used Aboriginal knowledge and made this website. He has made money from exploiting Aboriginal Elders and has absolutely NO authority, whatsoever, to be using this knowledge for his own personal gain. Try and find Aboriginal scholars and centre their research, voice and knowledge as the topics are primarily focused on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people - so "nothing about us, without us".

I do have to apologise to the students who did use this as a source in the first assessment, as I thought I had included this reference tip, but I can clearly see I didn't. To save me going back through 160 assessments, please email me if you did use this source in your reflection, as it is not fair to be deducted marks for something I failed to relay/explain. 

Final Reference List

Make sure your final reference list in alphabetical order, commencing with the Author's (first author, if there are multiple scholars) surname first. Furthermore, try and find the author if citing a media article rather than using the name of the Media organisation. This applies to in-text citations as well as your final reference list.