Module SXY-2002:
Crime and Justice in Modern Britain

Module Facts

Run by School of History, Law and Social Sciences

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Miss Lisa Sparkes

Overall aims and purpose

This module aims to build on the introduction to the criminal justice system in England and Wales set in Level One. It will reinforce and advance students’ understanding of various measures of crime, and how the main criminal justice agencies operate. Thus, the role, responsibilities and levels of accountability of the main criminal justice agencies will be reviewed in the context of contemporary concerns about specific types of crimes and criminals, such as cyber crime, terrorism, white collar and organised crime; young people, and ethnic minorities. The module will focus on advancing the discussion of the most dominant debates in criminal justice and penology. It aims to introduce students to the value of comparative analysis of criminal justice practices and procedures. Source materials will be derived mainly from the discipline of criminology and criminal justice, but will also draw on sociology, law, and political science. Students will be encouraged to critically analyse criminal justice policies and procedures.

Course content

This module aims to build on the introduction to the criminal justice system in England and Wales provided in Year 1 through SXY1007. It will reinforce and advance students' understanding of various measures of crime, and how the main criminal justice agencies operate in particular circumstances and under the demands of increasing international concerns about certain types of crime. Thus, the role, responsibilities and levels of accountability of the main criminal justice agencies will be reviewed in the context of contemporary concerns about specific types of crimes and criminals, such as youth crime, terrorism and state crime, white collar, cyber and organised crime. The module will focus on advancing the discussion of the most dominant debates in criminal justice and penology. In doing so the module aims to advance students’ understanding of criminal justice statistics as well as the value of comparative analysis of criminal justice practices and procedures.

Indicative Course content:

  • Understanding crime and criminal justice by numbers – breaking the back of crime statistics

  • Controlling youth crime

  • Controlling ‘clean’ crime – cyber-crime, business crime and white collar crime

  • Controlling ‘terror’ – state crime, organised crime and terrorism

Underpinning these different topics will be an engagement with concepts of social harm and how criminal justice agencies are adapting to control the different types of crimes and criminals, nationally as well as internationally.

Assessment Criteria

threshold

Show a basic understanding of crime patterns and criminal statistics; provide a coherent account of the criminal justice process; understand the key functions of the criminal justice system in Wales and England; understand the key features of youth justice; demonstrate awareness of the criminal justice system’s inherent biases; describe important legal, social and policy issues in relation to specified areas of criminal law and criminal justice.

good

Show a good awareness of crime patterns and the limitations of criminal statistics; provide an accurate explanation of the criminal justice process with some evaluation of the operation of one or more criminal justice agencies; show good understanding of the youth justice system; demonstrate awareness of the criminal justice system’s inherent biases and its implications; understand and provide some analysis of the key functions of the criminal justice system in Wales and England and its operation in particular circumstances.

excellent

Show a critical understanding of crime patterns and a sophisticated approach to criminal statistics; provide an account of the criminal justice process which contains substantial critical evaluation; demonstrate a good understanding of the key functions of the criminal justice system in Wales and England, and engage in critical evaluation of these systems; show a thorough and critical understanding of youth justice; demonstrate a critical appreciation of the implications of the criminal justice system’s inherent biases; give a reasoned account of relevant legal, social and policy issues which contains some critical evaluation.

Learning outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and apply key criminal justice models.

  2. Provide evidence of the ability to identify and engage in debates on legal, social and policy issues which inform and influence criminal justice procedures and practices.

  3. Demonstrate the ability to locate, interpret, and critically evaluate relevant statistics, literature, and evidence relating to the criminal justice and penal system.

  4. Develop an appreciation of the value of a comparative analysis of the criminal justice and penal system.

  5. Be able to analyse critically the ways in which the criminal justice system is biased against particular crimes and criminals.

  6. Develop an in-depth understanding of the powers, obligations and structures of accountability of the principal criminal justice agencies.

  7. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the way in which criminal justice agencies respond to the changing landscape of crime, criminals, and political priorities in relation to those.

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
Report 2 - Second Half of Report 60.00
REPORT Report 1 - First Half of Report

A policy report, based on a chosen scenario (e.g. drugs trafficking, terrorism)

 40.00

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Lecture

Lectures, seminars, private study.

 24
Seminar

Small- group seminars, discussion based.

 24
Private study

Identifying and reading relevant literature

 152

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
  • Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Caring - Showing concern for others; caring for children, people with disabilities and/or the elderly
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
  • Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Pre- and Co-requisite Modules

Courses including this module

Compulsory in courses:

Optional in courses: