Overview

This module introduces students to the main theoretical approaches and ideas in the contemporary study of crime, social control and victimisation. With a focus on the period from the 19th century up to the present day, the module explores various explanations of criminal behaviour under a theoretical lens, including biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives. The module thus investigates the origins, principal ideas, and practical implications of these theories to highlight the relevance of criminological ideas to a range of current criminal justice and crime issues.

SXY2001 is a 20-credit module, taught over the course of a single semester.

It focuses on the main theoretical approaches and ideas in the contemporary study of crime, deviance and social control from the late 1800s to the present day. The approaches and ideas are situated in their intellectual and historical contexts, and the writings of key thinkers will be critically examined.

The chief purpose of the module is to show the relevance of criminological ideas to a range of current crime and criminal justice issues. Policing students will therefore have the opportunity to applying theory to every-day problems of crime control and policing. Among the perspectives and topics covered are the following: Merton’s theory of anomie; subcultural theory; labelling and stigma; shaming; rational choice theory; routine activities theory; and Marxist theories of crime.

Learning Outcomes

• Analyse the key criminological theories from the 19th century to the present day.

• Critically apply criminological ideas to current issues or concrete areas of concern to policing.

• Evaluate the limitations of criminological explanations of crime and deviance from a contemporary policing perspective.

• Evidence skills in accessing and evaluating relevant literature for independent study, research and essay writing.