Criminal Justice: Australia and Japan

Comparative approaches to crime and justice have the potential to provide valuable insights into how social, cultural, and institutional contexts shape responses to offending and victimisation across different societies. This subject introduces students to the Japanese criminal justice system, exploring how its distinctive features contribute to markedly different crime rates and justice outcomes compared with Australia. Students will examine key institutions and practices in policing, courts and corrections, with a particular focus on responses to offenders with specialised needs (such as disability, age, and mental illness). Through comparative analysis, the subject highlights how culture, law and social policy intersect to influence justice processes and outcomes. Taught in Japan, the program combines seminars with Australian and Japanese academics and practitioners, and includes site visits to justice institutions. Please note: Prior to travelling overseas, students are required to attend a half-day of preparatory seminars designed to introduce them to key facets of the Japanese criminal justice system (on-campus). Students must also attend a concluding review session on-campus upon return from Japan.