Issue No 56

CRIMINOLOGY
Crime is a hugely complex social phenomenon. This has given rise to an equally complex collection of popular

Crime
is specialised
a hugely complex
phenomenon.
This
has
rise
to an
equally
complex
collection
opinion,
knowledgesocial
and factual
information
as to
itsgiven
causes,
effects
and
prevention.
In this
context,
of
popular opinion,
specialised
knowledge field
and factual
to crime
its causes,
effects
and
prevencriminology
has evolved
as a multi-disciplinary
of study information
that examinesas
how
is defined,
why
people
tion.
In
this
context,
criminology
has
evolved
as
a
multi-disciplinary
field
of
study
that
examines
commit crimes, and how society responds. It probes the culture of crime and the workings of the criminal justice
how
crime
is defined,
whycourts,
people
commit
and how
society responds. It probes the culture of
system
including
the police,
prisons
andcrimes,
rehabilitation
services.
crime and the workings of the criminal justice system including the police, courts, prisons and rehabilitation services.
It studies the characteristics of offenders and how
criminal behaviour relates to a wide range of social
factors; for example drug use, educational attainment, ethnicity, family relationships and mental
health. It researches the ways in which crime impacts
on victims and their families. How, for instance, are
victims of rape treated in the justice system? How do
the families of homicide victims survive? It seeks to
understand how criminal behaviour meets the needs
of its perpetrators. It asks who goes to prison and
what happens to them there. It questions the nature
of punishment is it to provide justice, to deter or
prevent crime, or to reform criminals? It questions
the relationship between crime and the media. Does
the way crime is reported and represented influence
criminal behaviour and attitudes to victims?
Crime is also an international concern that changes
with the times. Organised criminal enterprises can
command a workforce and financial turnover that
rivals multinational corporations. Digital technology
supports our global financial services industry but
also opens up opportunities for fraud and misappropriation that, only a few years ago, would have been
incomprehensible. The proportion of Internet traffic
that relates to criminal activity can only be conservatively estimated, extending as it does opportunities
for such a broad range of criminal activities including
those related to sexual and interpersonal violence.
Criminology also investigates state crimes and global
issues such as security, terrorism and genocide.
The study of criminology is intellectually challenging
and involves digging deeply into social realities which
can show human nature at its worst. However it
provides the kind of informed understanding and
conceptual scaffolding which is necessary for those
who want to work constructively towards making

the world a better place. It is also ideal for those who

simply have a fierce curiosity about everything.

HOW DO YOU STUDY CRIMINOLOGY?

In New Zealand criminology can be studied as a
major subject for a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) at
the Institute of Criminology, Victoria University of
Wellington, where courses have been offered since
1975, while more recently the subject has been offered
in Auckland. Postgraduate qualifications in criminology generally include a Bachelor of Arts Honours
degree, Graduate Diploma in Arts, Master of Arts and
PhD.
Criminology specialisation usually begins in the
second year of study. This is because criminology
requires knowledge from other, related disciplines,
which is developed and synthesised during the first
year of university study.
Criminology complements other humanities and
social science subjects, particularly anthropology,
psychology, sociology, social policy, media studies,
political science, and law. Students typically plan
their first year of study from a selection of these
subjects, then move into the structure of a criminology major.
For those wanting to work in policy, advisory or
consultancy roles, it can be advisable to plan for postgraduate qualifications. Criminology is a researchbased field and the research component of postTopical coverage of career related issues brought to you by Victoria
University Career Development and Employment.
Areas covered include how degrees and courses relate to
employment opportunities, to life/work planning, graduate
destination information and current issues or material relevant to
the employment scene. Your comments and suggestions always
welcomed.

CAREER VIEW

graduate degrees, including research methodology,

is necessary to properly understand past and current
research protocols and assess the validity of their
findings.
It is important to understand that criminology
and forensic science are separate career areas and
the training and everyday work is therefore quite
different. Criminologists do not, for example, collect
and analyse evidence from crime scenes.

WHERE DO CRIMINOLOGY GRADUATES

WORK?
Job opportunities are, to a large extent, a function of
organisational structures. For criminology graduates,
opportunities lean towards organisations which are
linked to the criminal justice system. This system is
a network of interdependent organisations which,
despite the requirement for correction facilities,
maintains an underlying emphasis on the prevention
of crime rather than its punishment.
Ministry of Justice. The Policy and Legal Group of
the Ministry recruits graduates as entry level policy
advisors, and there is a career path through to senior
policy advisor positions. The Ministry considers all
criminal justice roles including crime prevention,
youth justice, criminal law and process, international
criminal law, organised crime, victims role in the
justice system, and sentencing and parole laws. There
are also opportunities for criminology graduates in the
courts system in both policy roles and roles within the
courts.
The Department of Correctionscontains a policy
development area and recruits at the graduate level
for policy analyst roles. In addition, Community
Probation Services and Prison Services have operational advisersat head office who, for example, assess
the implications of legislative change on operational
functions. Operational advisers are also recruited at
the graduate level. Similarly, a criminology degree is
an excellent background for probation officers. There is
no particular emphasis on postgraduate qualifications
for any of these roles, buta combination of criminology and psychology is highly desirable. Registered
psychologists with criminology are ideal for psychologist positions.
New Zealand Police. Police National Headquarters maintains a Policy unit. Opportunities for
criminology graduates exist within the Policy team,
perhaps one graduate policy analyst vacancy a year.
There are a number of intelligence analyst positions

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within the National Intelligence Centre based at

Police National Headquarters and a number of similar
positions within Districts based across New Zealand.
New Zealand Police have recently implemented a
career pathway for intelligence analysts. Criminology
graduates, particularly those with a practical focus
such as is developed through environmental criminology, are desirable applicants when vacancies occur.
Within the Intelligence Group there are lead intelligence analyst and senior intelligence analyst positions
for more experienced analysts with work experience.
There is a trainee analyst/analyst position which is an
entry level development role. Graduates are often
valued for their writing and analytical skills. An
interest in Asia and the Pacific Rim countries is good
as there is a strong off shore focus. Police officers
complete a criminology paper as part of their basic
training. More advanced study in the subject could
enhance career prospects for sworn officers.
New Zealand Customs are interested in criminology
graduates at all levels of the organisation, from service
delivery roles such as customs officer through to policy
advisers, intelligence analysts and investigators. Customs
work includes criminology from an international
perspective and requires the ability to think strategically around the local/international dimension.
Recruitment mainly occurs at an entry trainee customs
officer level from where progression to more specialised areas can occur. Interested applicants are advised
to visit the website.
The Ministry of Social Developments Centre for
Social Research and Evaluation (CSRE) is part of the
Ministrys Policy Cluster. CSRE carries out a range
of evaluation, forecasting and modelling research
functions. Criminology is a relevant degree for both
research and policy analyst roles. Postgraduate study,
usually a Masters degree, is required.
Child, Youth and Family. Aperson with a criminology degree could possibly fill roles such as policy or
operational policy advisors, including regional advisors
andbusiness analysts. Policy advice generally relates
to the way in which proposed policy activities across
the Ministry of Social Development, and between the
Ministry and other Agencies and Departments, are
consulted, organised, integrated where appropriate
and reported against. Operational policy in Youth
Justice focuses on translating governmental and
departmental policy into operational activities. It
then provides ongoing support and monitoring and,
where appropriate, recommends and manages changes
to improve quality and effectiveness. Aqualifica-

CAREER VIEW

tion in criminology would also be useful for someone

seeking a role as a youth justice coordinator, where they
would be involved in arranging and managing family
group conferences for young offenders and their
families.

information is the basic currency, such as policy

analyst, research assistant, or lawyer, constantly call
upon this skill in order to function effectively.

Local Authorities, such as the Auckland and

Wellington City Councils, are complex organisations
with a role in crime prevention through such mechanisms as environmental design and urban strategic
planning. Partnership links between local authorities, community service providers and the Ministry of
Justice Crime Prevention Unit create positions such as
community safety co-ordinator and various administrative
and project management roles.

Critical judgement: represents the ability to evaluate

situations and information and pick out what is
logical and relevant to the context in which it occurs.
Although popular culture is riddled with crime facts,
criminology graduates are trained out of these myths
and generalisations and learn to select and collate
data which are both valid and reliable for the purpose.
Any job which relies on accurately evaluating or
monitoring people, events or information, such as
police officer, journalist, psychologist or customs
officer, demands critical judgement.

Tertiary Institutions. Teaching at university level

usually requires a PhD. Graduates can advance their
research and teaching skills by undertaking a Masters
degree or PhD and may have the opportunity to
tutor undergraduate students. Many students also go
overseas to study. Other roles in tertiary institutions
include research assistants, academic advisors, learning
support, administration and managerial positions.

Problem solving: Criminology graduates will have

regularly grappled with issues which defy a simple
solution. They are therefore likely to identify and
confront problems with confidence and be able to
formulate a strategy for resolution. Abstract problemsolving may be an important feature of a job role such
as policy analyst, but it is a skill most employers value,
even when focussed on practical day-to-day situations.

Criminology plus. There are a range of professional

roles which require separate training but which can
complement a criminology degree. These include:
lawyer, journalist, social worker, psychologist, counsellor,
architect, urban designer, security specialist and detective.
Operational and management roles in organisations
which have regulatory or statutory responsibilities,
such as ACC, can also be compatible with a criminology degree.

The ability to make connections: refers to the

mixing and matching of ideas drawn from a range of
conceptual structures. The richness and diversity of
the criminological literature, together with its theoretical constructs, give criminology graduates a full
data bank of ideas to juggle with. In a work environment the ability to make connections underpins
many functions and roles, but particularly those
involving management, where skills such as strategic
planning are important. Of special value is the ability
to combine ideas which are not usually connected.
Employers are keen on those who can come up with
innovative proposals, particularly in stuck situations.

WHAT SKILLS DO CRIMINOLOGY

GRADUATES DEVELOP?
Skills are the can do edge of your degree. They
represent open ground where you can show employers
the value of your degree in a way that is meaningful to
them. Criminology graduates can stand out because
they have developed, among other things, higher
order thinking skills and a certain mental discipline.
These are very transferable in that they can be applied
to any situation which calls for abstract reasoning and
intellectual rigour. Such skills include:
Analytical thinking: the ability to break information down, identify the underlying structure and pull
together summaries or conclusions from the essential
points. Criminology graduates study various research
data and theories which are complex and often
counter-intuitive, and out of which they are expected
to pull clarity and lucid analysis. Those in jobs where

Research and information skills: Criminology is a

research-focussed subject and its graduates will have
demonstrated competence in understanding research
methodologies, statistical analyses, and accessing
computer-based information systems. Postgraduate
study which has involved some original research will
extend these skills further. A huge amount of the
worlds information is conceptualised in research
projects, captured in databases and coded in statistical formats. Graduates who can work effectively
with these systems will always have access to new
knowledge and be competitive for the new jobs.
Non-judgemental people skills: Criminology
graduates are likely to appreciate that both good and
bad behaviour emerges from a heady mix of motiva-

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CAREER VIEW

GRADUATE PROFILES
tion, opportunity, conditioning, and personality.
Such understanding tends towards tolerance for
others idiosyncrasies, which goes down well in
all work situations and is vital where a capacity
for empathy is required such as probation officer,
psychologist and other client-centred roles.
Communication skills: These are absolutely
vital to employers. Criminology graduates have
worked through contentious and complex ideas,
both verbally and in writing, and have been
trained to express their thinking with clarity
and precision. Communication skills combine
speaking, listening, writing and understanding,
and underpin almost any job you can think of.

JOB TITLES
The following is a sample of job titles taken from
our graduate destination surveys. Some roles may
require additional qualifications and training.

Administration Officer

Alcohol and Other Drug Clinician

Cases Editor

Claims Manager

Community Support Worker

Contracts Administrator

Development Assistant

Intelligence Collator

Lecturer

Licensing Officer

Police Communicator

Probation Officer

Programme Support Coordinator

Research Assistant

Residential Youth Worker

Safety & Health Administrator

Security Officer

Senior Researcher

Student Advisor

Teacher

Tutor

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Kerry Consedine
Acting Service Manager
Department of Corrections,
Community Probation Service
I come from a large family with
a long history of working with
and helping others. So I guess
an interest in social justice and
what makes people tick is in
my blood.
I finished school in 1995 and knew I wanted to
continue in tertiary education but I wasnt exactly
sure what I wanted to major in. So I tried a bit of
everything in my first year at Victoria University
education, sociology, philosophy, and anthropology.
During my first year it became clear that I wanted to
study crime and criminals what was it that made
people turn to crime? What was happening in their
lives that meant they had to turn to crime and how
were these people different to me? So I enrolled in
criminology and didnt look back.
The study of crime in society is fascinating and
criminology closely examines many different aspects
- women, youth, drugs, property crime, environment, socio-economics, Police, Courts, the list goes
on. Other questions in my head were how does the
criminal justice system in New Zealand compare to
systems overseas? Where does restorative justice fit
in to our system and what are we doing to address
the over-representation of Maori in our prisons?
Studying criminology helped me gain a much better
understanding of the explanations and also gave me
some good insight into New Zealands criminal justice
system.
I completed my double major in criminology and
sociology and graduated in 1999. Then I took some
time off study and had my first baby. I soon realised
however that I wanted to further my education and
explore some criminological topics in more depth. I
also knew this would assist me in gaining employment in a field of interest when I was ready. So in
2002 I commenced my Honours degree on a part
time basis with my husband who shares my strong
interest in criminology. We completed our Honours
degrees and graduated together in 2005. With this
postgraduate degree under my belt I felt ready to look
for employment and I was drawn to the work of the
Department of Corrections and more specifically the
Community Probation Service.

CAREER VIEW

In 2006 I became a Probation Officer working

directly with offenders in the community. This role
is extremely stimulating and involves writing presentence reports for the Courts, providing written
reports for the New Zealand Parole Board and
managing community-based sentences such as Home
Detention, Supervision, and Community Work. I am
currently in an Acting Service Manager role, managing
a team of Probation Officers who oversee offenders
who have recently been released from Prison (on
Parole and Release Conditions).
Through my time at Victoria University I not only
gained some invaluable written and communication
skills I also gained a good ability to think critically
and question things. I also learned about a subject
that actually matters and I have no doubt that my
study directly assisted me in gaining my current
employment.
I have been hesitant to let go of University all together
and have kept one foot in the door by tutoring
part-time for the Institute of Criminologys Victoria
Policing Education Programme. I would encourage
anyone thinking about studying to give it a go as it
can really open doors to employment opportunities
and is also extremely rewarding in terms of your own
individual development and learning. I am certain I
will be back again one day.

Dean Moses
Senior Advisor
Child, Youth and Family
Criminology was something I
fell into but Ive always had a
knack for falling into the things
that are right for me. My first
year at university was a bit of an
experiment and at the end of
it I realised that I was heading
down the wrong path, so I applied for criminology for
two reasons. Firstly, it sounded cool. Secondly, my
friend was also applying for it. As it happens, I wasnt
accepted that year so I pretty much repeated my first
year in subjects that would give me the best chance of
being accepted if I applied for criminology again.
I did apply again and this time I was accepted.

I would apply my study outside of university but I

put those thoughts to one side and just enjoyed the
learning.
When that was done and I had worn a funny hat
while receiving an important piece of paper in front of
an applauding audience (over the top of which I could
still hear my mother cheering), I continued to wonder
where I could use my criminological knowledge and
the skills that come with tertiary study. If anyone
had asked me when I started university whether I saw
myself ever being a Probation Officer, I would have
laughed but, with my criminology degree in hand,
thats where I headed.
My criminology degree was fundamental in landing
the job and helping me to excel in it. It gave me an
appreciation of the people I was dealing with and
the basis to understand why and how the probation
service sought to help offenders and the community.
Working as a Probation Officer also provided me with
practical, real world experience to sit alongside the
theory I had learnt at university.
It was this that prompted me to start an Honours
degree in criminology. I did this part time over four
years and found the Honours programme even more
interesting and satisfying than my undergraduate
study.
I was working in dispute resolution in the Department
of Building and Housing by the time I completed my
Honours degree. Despite a significant change in role
and context, I found I was still able to relate my study
to my work as I was still dealing with conflict within a
legislated framework.
At the moment I work as a Senior Advisor for Child,
Youth and Family. In this role I support regional
management of the most serious Child, Youth and
Family cases and provide advice to senior national
management.
Ive had a varied career so far with diverse responsibilities but all pay tribute to elements of my criminological study. Im looking forward to whats next.

I was pleased to discover that, as I had hoped, criminology was indeed very cool. Furthermore, I discovered that studying something thats interesting makes
the study so much easier. It did cross my mind over
the next two years that I wasnt exactly sure how

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CAREER VIEW

Leanne Mercer
Policy Analyst
Te Puni Kkiri
The distinguished reputation
of the Institute of Criminology
and the Crime and Justice
Research Centre at Victoria
was a real draw-card for me
in choosing criminology as
a major. I felt that the fact
that Victoria was the first (and
remains one of few) universities to offer criminology
was an important point of difference compared to
other majors and degrees, particularly as there are ever
increasing numbers of graduates and the job market
can be competitive.
Another attractive aspect of the criminology major
was the flexibility to take a number of different papers
in the first year. I, like many others, began my first
year still unclear about exactly what I wanted to major
in. Being able to try a number of different subject
areas during my first year, and knowing that criminology was still an option to pick up in second year,
suited me well.
Criminology was by far my favourite subject area
during my studies. Crime is such a topical subject
area in New Zealand society everyone has an
opinion! (and not necessarily a very well informed
opinion). I enjoyed undertaking in-depth study to
the drivers of crime, the impact on society, the role
of the media, the effectiveness of punishment, and
learning crime resolution tools such as environmental
mapping. Criminology involves aspects of a number
of different disciplines, so I learnt a lot about law,
history, psychology, sociology, social policy, and
media studies. Victoria is at the forefront of research
in this area, so the material we studied was up-to-date
and relevant.
A week after my final exam I started an internship in
the Policy Group at Te Puni Kkiri (the Ministry of
Mori Development). I was part of a team working in
the criminal justice area and I was actively involved
producing policy advice regarding the latest government priorities to enable more effective methods of
preventing crime. It was great to be able to put the
skills and experience I gained through my criminology degree into practice straight away. This work
involved engaging with a number of other agencies
across government and non-government sectors. A
very moving and memorable experience for me was

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being involved in focus groups seeking feedback from

prisoners at two womens prisons.
After I had finished my internship I applied for a
permanent position as a Policy Analyst at Te Puni
Kkiri. Despite moving out of the criminal justice
field and into the economic development policy area,
the skills I gained through my criminology degree
formed an important foundation for my future professional development. In particular, the skills I gained
in problem-solving, critical analysis, evaluation and
monitoring remain vital to my everyday work.

Christiaan Barnard
Detective, Covert Operations
Group
New Zealand Police
I was one of the lucky people
when I finished secondary
school in that I knew what I
wanted to do for a career, and
it was policing. I had intended
to complete a Bachelor of Arts
with a major in psychology so
in my first year I undertook psychology, sociology,
philosophy and statistics. However, after picking up
criminology in my second year I found that its unique
combination of disciplines gave it an appeal that
surpassed the other subjects I had previously studied
and I soon found myself switching my major. Upon
completing my degree in 1998 I opted to stay on to
complete my Honours year, taking three criminology
papers and a sociology paper. It allowed me to take
on interesting subjects such as the prevention of mass
murder, a history of prison riots in New Zealand, the
situational variables that impact upon alcohol related
violence, and alleged brain washing in cults.
I joined the New Zealand Police in 2000 and since
that time I worked as a Detective investigating serious
crime, child abuse and organised crime. Also, since
2003 I have been a member of the Police Negotiation
Team. The work I have undertaken has been varied,
from the investigation of murders through to online
child exploitation, and it has taken me to places such
as China, Canada and the USA. Throughout these
different areas of policing one thing was consistent,
and that was the wide variety of paperwork required.
The time I spent developing my essay writing and
critical thinking skills at University gave me a head
start when it came to investigating and preparing
complex cases. I was also able to apply criminological theory to my understanding of the reasons

CAREER VIEW

why individuals commit certain crimes. This allowed

me to empathise with offenders in a manner which
increased the likelihood of obtaining an admission, as
well as resolving critical incidents as a negotiator.
I have been fortunate enough to maintain an ongoing
relationship with the Institute of Criminology
through tutoring both on campus and distance
learning papers, and continue to find myself challenged by the subject matter.
For those people contemplating a career within
criminal justice, the study of criminology will provide
you with invaluable research skills, critical thinking
skills and a way to see how various disciplines can be
bought together to address and understand a related
set of social phenomena.

Bronwyn Morrison
Senior Research Advisor
Ministry of Justice
I began my studies at Victoria
University with no intention
of studying criminology;
however, when my second
year rolled round criminology
seemed a reasonable candidate
to sit along my law and
English majors. I am embarrassed to admit that the primary attraction of criminology was my mistaken belief that it would entail
wearing a white lab coat whilst carefully examining
the atavistic traits of criminal skulls. It came as quite
a shock when Lombrosos biological determinism was
thoroughly discredited within the first few weeks of
the course.
Whilst challenging, criminology never felt like hard
work because the course material was so engaging.
I can honestly say I loved it all, and particularly
enjoyed the modules on theory, punishment, and
women and crime. I enjoyed it so much that after
three years I decided to pack in law and undertake an
Honours degree in criminology instead.
On finishing my Honours degree I went on to work
as a summer research assistant at the Institute of
Criminology and then as a researcher for the New
Zealand Police for six months. In the meantime I was
awarded a Bright Future Scholarship to undertake a
PhD in criminology in the United Kingdom. I studied
and worked at Keele University for just under five
years. My doctoral research explored criminal justice

responses to female drunkenness in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Whilst working
at Keele I was privileged to work alongside many
academics whose work I had studied and admired
during my undergraduate studies. I also met and
married a fellow criminologist.
On my return to New Zealand I took up a research role
with the Department of Conservation investigating
vehicle crime and other types of criminal behaviour
at outdoor recreation and tourist areas, before joining
the Ministry of Justice as a Senior Research Advisor.
Since joining the Ministry I have worked on many
interesting projects including the 2009 New Zealand
Crime and Safety Survey, and a large literature review
on bias against ethnic minority groups in the criminal
justice system.
My advice to prospective students is to study what
you enjoy and make the most of the university
learning experience to expand and challenge your preexisting views on criminal justice issues. The single
most valuable tool I gained from my criminological
studies was the ability to think critically and examine
complex issues from competing perspectives. This
skill is crucial in the context of New Zealands public
sector.

CRIMINOLOGY AT VICTORIA
The Institute of Criminology was established at
Victoria University on 1 January 1975, and was one
of the first multi-disciplinary research and teaching
centres established in the university. Since then it has
made contributions on many levels within the crime
and justice sector, employing staff members of high
calibre with good national and international linkages.
Its location close to downtown Wellington enables
consultation with government and positions students
well for employment opportunities within the public
service.
Criminology at Victoria can be undertaken by
students as a major subject of a BA (Bachelor of Arts)
degree and they can continue on to further postgraduate possibilities. Criminology can also be combined
with other subjects such as social policy, sociology,
psychology or political science. The study of criminology at Victoria begins at 200 level.
Students seeking to advance to graduate levels can
begin with a one-year Honours degree or proceed
to Masters and PhD levels where a written thesis is

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CAREER VIEW

required. A thesis is the product of original research,

which may be undertaken full- or part-time. Examples
of postgraduate research thesis topics include:

Youth Crime and its Prevention in New Zealand;

Trying to stem their downward course: The

Development of Penal Governance for Women in
New Zealand, 1840-1974;

Imagining the Prison: Literary Representations

and the Development of Modern Penality in
England;

Victoria also offers a Graduate Diploma of Arts

for graduates. This can allow those without prior
knowledge of criminology to undertake a tailored
course of study that may include both undergraduate
and postgraduate courses in criminology with complementary courses in other disciplines.

The political economy of white collar crime in

New Zealand: 1972-2000;

The land of murder, cannibalism, and all kinds of

atrocious crimes? An Overview of Mori crime
from Pre-colonial Times to the Present Day;

Community Crime Prevention: the New Zealand

Experience;

Juror Stress and Traumatisation: Issues for

Criminal Justice Policy and Practice;

Care in Collaboration: Preventing Secondary

Victimisation through a Structured and Holistic
Approach to Victims of Sexual Violence;

Torture and Transitional Justice: The Case of

Timor-Leste;

Gender, Bodies and Cyberstalking: Embodying

Theory, Developing Methodology;

With us, or against us: A Critical analysis of

official U.S. and Media Representations of
Fallujah;

The Condition of Security of Gated Communities under Private Governance: Findings from
Residents Experiences and Opinions; and

No sun has shone: Child Homicide in New

Zealand: An analysis of a small scale sample of
cases 1980-2003.

Criminology staff interests include: substance use and

misuse; the psychology of criminal behaviour; media
representations of crime; sexual offending; crime
reduction and community safety; plural policing
and private security/private policing; youth justice;
youth cultures; gender, risk and harm minimisation;
history and sociology of punishment; state crime and
human rights; transitional justice; women, rape and
the police; sex work; and gender issues in crime and
policing.
The Crime and Justice Research Centre (CJRC) grew
out of, and now sits alongside the Institute of Criminology in the School of Social and Cultural Studies.
The Centre concentrates on policy-focused research,
often evaluative in nature and done under contract to
government and public sector agencies. The Centre
aims to produce research reports and provide policy
advice of the highest academic quality to increase
knowledge and understanding of issues relating to
crime and justice. It promulgates its findings, both
within New Zealand and internationally, in a diverse
range of practitioner, policy and academic forums.

Special thanks to:

The School of Social and Cultural Studies, in particular Dr Allison Kirkman, Head of School; Carol Hogan,
School Manager; Associate Professor Jan Jordan, Programme Director, Criminology; Monica Lichti, School
Administrator; graduates Christiaan Barnard, Kerry Consedine, Dean Moses, Leanne Mercer and Bronwyn
Morrison; and all those people who contributed to this publication.
Career View is published by Career Development and Employment
Victoria University of Wellington, Te Whare Wananga o te Upoko o te Ika a Maui
PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, Tel: 64-4-463-5393, Fax 64-4-463 5252
www.victoria.ac.nz/careers
December 2010
ISSN 1172-4315

VUW Career Development and Employment