Overview

Part One: State crimes - From ghettos to genocide: how does criminology and criminal justice respond when it is those in power, in particular, the State who offends? How do we define crime, justice and victimisation in this context? (3 weeks)

Part Two: Interpersonal crimes - Many crimes of power take place at an interpersonal level: examples may include ‘honour’- based violence and coercion; homophobic hate crimes; and gender violence in intimate relationships. How do social and criminal justice systems respond to these forms of crime? (3 weeks)

Part Three: Institutional power - Prisons represent institutional power at both physical and symbolic levels. Power may take many forms and examples include: prisons and the construction of masculinities and femininities; political power in prisons, using the example of Northern Ireland during the ‘Troubles’. (5 weeks)

Assessment Strategy

D+-D - -threshold - BE ABLE TO: To explain some of the main theoretical perspectives on State crimes, Interpersonal crimes and Institutional power and describe the contemporary debates in thrse fields

B+ - B–good -BE ABLE TO: Examine and evaluate theoretical and conceptual issues in relation to State crimes, Interpersonal crimes and Institutional power ,and make connections between criminology and other disciplines, for e.g. history and law to the study of power, crime and punishment, and evaluate a range of appropriate literature and material, and incorporate personal insights and observations.

A* - A–excellent -BE ABLE TO: Critically analyse key theoretical and conceptual issues in relation to State crimes, Interpersonal crimes and Institutional power ,and make connections between criminology and other disciplines, for e.g. history and law to the study of power, crime and punishment, as well as present material in a way that serves to support the arguments being advanced and to bring different/original modes of thought to this module.

Learning Outcomes

• Acquire knowledge of the mechanisms that help to protect individuals and organisations from abuses of power.

• Apply an understanding of crime and power to broader frameworks, e.g. political and economic.

• Apply philosophical/moral perspectives to a range of contemporary practices of punitive control.

• Appreciate the centrality of philosophical/moral theorizing for understanding, and gaining critical insight into, contemporary practices of punitive control.

• Appreciate the diverse ways in which the application of power is legitimised or criminalised

• Understand the different ways in which power can be used and abused.

• Understand what is meant by power relations between and amongst individuals, organisations and the State in the context of crime, deviance and criminal justice