CRI30002 Corrections - detailed assessment guide

Assessment: Policy brief

Due date: Monday 25 th October

Length: 3500 words

Value: 45%

This assignment aims to convince the target audience, the Premier of Victoria, of the importance of
an issue in corrections and why it requires action. The issue you write about in this brief will follow
on from the issue you discussed in Assignment 1: Executive Summary.

A policy brief is a form of report designed to facilitate policy-making. The main purpose is to
evaluate policy options regarding a specific issue in order for practical decisions to be made about
the issue, so the brief should provide evidence and actionable recommendations. It will include a
brief description of the issue, a short overview of the historical context, causes and principles
debates and critical issues, and a clear statement of the implications as they relate to current policy.
The brief will outline multiple (2 or 3) suggested policies that address the issue that has been
selected, and conclude with which policies you would recommend to the Premier.

Suitable topics include:

 Recidivism and desistance

 Prisoner health and wellbeing (including, for example, suicide or illicit drug use)
 Indigenous prisoners
 Women prisoners
 Young people in prison

The Policy Brief:

You are required to prepare a policy brief that presents the findings and recommendations of a
specific issue in corrections, to a non-specialised audience. The brief is a medium for exploring a
single issue and distilling lessons learned from the research and for providing policy advice.

 Have a clear and specific purpose or focus-a policy brief should have a particular audience in
mind; the Premier of Victoria. It is important to keep this audience in mind when evaluating
what information needs to be included in the brief. What do they know about the issue already?
What new information would provide insight to the issue? The brief should be limited to one
issue or problem.

 Be practical and based on evidence – a policy brief aims to be persuasive and a big part of
convincing the target audience of your key message is supporting your ideas with evidence.
Evidence should be used to indicate that there is an issue with existing policy and to make
recommendations. A policy brief is a practical tool that has real world implications.

 Be accessible and succinct – a policy brief uses language that is familiar to the target audience in
a clear and simple manner (but not conversational). It should also be logical and be easy to
 follow. The assumption should be made that the target audience does not have time to read a
lot of text, so the brief should be formatted clearly with descriptive headings.

 Include a list of references or acknowledged sources – this is so information or statistics can be

found and followed up on, if necessary.

What to include:

ï Title page: (5%)

The title needs to be brief and represent the issue you are focusing on. Include the key terms that
relate to your brief.

ï Introduction: (5%)
This section aims to highlight to the reader the current state of affairs relating to the selected issues.
You will need to introduce the general field of the topic area and then narrow to the specific area of
your policy brief. You do not need to reiterate all of the information you presented in your executive
summary – instead summarise the main arguments, ensuring you explain the significance/urgency of
the issue and describe the objective of the brief. Provide an overview of your conclusions.

ï Context and Implications: (15%)

This section outlines what policies/decisions led to the current state of affairs. You should provide a
summary of the facts that describes the issue and the context for the issues – what led to this
problem? You should also describe the implications of this issue. What will be the continued
implications if this issue is not addressed?

ï Response and Recommendations: (60%)

This section is where you detail what changes need to be made to existing policy in light of the
problems you outlined in the Introduction and Implications section. It will usually contain a list of
practical steps or actions that need to be taken, and by whom, to address the issue. This might
contain a concluding statement that reiterates the key message and suggests the significance of the
proposed recommendations.

 Your response and recommendations should be based on relevant theoretical frameworks,

current empirical evidence, and/or appropriate case studies (including, for example, policy
reforms undertaken in other jurisdictions, including overseas)
 Describe clearly what should happen next
 Outline the precise steps required to implement the policy change
 Ensure the responses are relevant, credible and feasible

When considering the feasibility of your suggestions, you should think about the following;
timeframe, cost, budget, agencies involved (government, private, NGOs, etc.)

ï Conclusion: (10%)
The conclusion should summarise the main arguments presented throughout the policy brief. You
should aim to present concrete conclusions, expressing your ideas using strong assertions. Ensure
the ideas are balanced and defensible.

ï References (5%)
This section should include all of the in-text references that were provided in the previous sections.
This should be in Harvard or APA format. A minimum of 20 references is expected for this
assessment.
 Things to keep in mind:

Who are your readers?

ï Who am I writing this brief for?
ï How knowledgeable are they about the topic?
ï How open are they to the message?

How can I reach readers?

ï What questions need answers?
ï What are their interests, concerns?
ï What does it take to reach specific readers such as media, decision-makers?

General Tips:
 State your key message at the start and end with why it is important;
 Avoid using discipline specific jargon;
 Use headings and sub-headings to break up large blocks of text and ensure clarity;
 Use figures, charts or diagrams to help illustrate main points or key message;
 Presentation needs to be professional. Use appropriate fonts and headings;
 Make sure you proof-read your brief to avoid any spelling or grammar mistakes.

To help you get started on reviewing previous research, there is a help page available on the
Swinburne library website that includes really helpful guides and tips for finding research articles
and books in relevant scientific databases. You can access the help page via the URL:
https://www.swinburne.edu.au/library/search/help/

Assessment rubric – Policy Brief

Criterion High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail

Current context Highly detailed, up to Superior
date, accurate and description of Adequate
Good
insightful description selected issue. description of
description of
of selected issue. All Informative, current
selected issue.
significant facets of comprehensive context
Most aspects
issue clearly and accurate surrounding
of issue
described and description of selected issue.
described and
supported with issue well Information is Did not meet
supported by
appropriate supported with dated and/or criterion.
appropriate
research. appropriate lacking in
research. Some
Sophisticated critical research. Well important
evidence of
reasoning and demonstrated details. Some
critical
insight. evidence of inclusion of
reasoning and
critical appropriate
insight.
reasoning and research.
insight.
Policy Adequate
recommendatio articulation of
ns Sophisticated policy
Sophisticated, clear Good
articulation of recommendati
and detailed articulation of
policy ons.
articulation of policy policy
recommendati Information is
recommendations. recommendati Did not meet
ons. Detailed dated and/or
Empirical/theoretical ons. criterion.
empirical/theor lacking in
evidence woven Empirical/theor
etical evidence important
seamlessly etical evidence
consistently details. Some
throughout. demonstrated.
demonstrated. empirical/theo
retical
evidence.
Development of Highly sophisticated, Superior well Generates an Minimal
critical comprehensive and developed adequate evidence of an
argument well developed argument. argument with argument.
Did not meet
argument. Good critical some evidence Limited critical
criterion.
Demonstrated reasoning. of critical discussion.
superior reasoning reasoning.
and critical thought.
Presentation Highly accurate Spelling and Good Adequate use
(language and grammar. Highly punctuation of expression. of language.
expression) sophisticated and a high Improvement Numerous
effective expression standard. needed in mistakes in
Did not meet
appropriate to the Superior relation to expression or
criterion.
task. expression. expression of grammar.
ideas and
articulation of
argument.
Referencing and Consistent, highly Strong use and Generally Sometimes
bibliography accurate use and detail of accurate use of inaccurate,
Did not meet
detail of a variety of appropriate minimum inconsistent or
criterion.
appropriate scholarly scholarly number of inappropriate
sources. sources. sources. use of sources.