This module will look at the organisations and individuals who attempt to deliver 'Criminal Justice'. The module will offer a brief overview of the nature and development of the Criminal Justice 'System', the various Agencies that this 'system' is comprised of and their formal roles and responsibilities in the delivery of 'justice'. Agencies examined could include The Ministry of Justice; The Police Service; The Prison Service; The Probation Service; The Courts Service; The National Offender Management Service; The various Inspectorates and Ombudsmen who oversee/monitor these agencies and the Criminal Justice Voluntary Sector and various private sector organisations. As well as providing an overview of the formal roles of these agencies, this module will examine the various responsibilities and aims of each agency, their similarities and common purposes, differences and potential contradictions. The module will also examine the wider factors that have influenced the nature and organisation of these agencies and the relationships between them (including the historical/social context; the Organisational/Managerial context and the growing emphasis on performance, Process, Best Practice and Best Value).
The module will be delivered through a mixture of lectures and small group tutorials, and will also involve visits to Magistrates or Crown Courts to observe them in operation. The module is assessed using a mixture of individual written work, group presentations and online activities (using the Keele Learning Environment).
Recognise and describe the relationships between crime, victimisation and responses to them, and social divisions based on age, gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality and (dis)ability. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 3
Recognise and illustrate the impact of processes of social change such as globalisation on crime and responses to it. will be achieved by assessments: 2, 3
Describe the development and current organisation, governance and operation of official and unofficial responses to crime and victimisation, including policing, punishment and other approaches to preventing harm and ensuring personal safety. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 3
Recognise different approaches to social scientific research (including comparative analysis) and their usefulness in investigating different forms of crime and victimisation and responses to them. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 3
Identify different representations of crime, victimisation and responses to them in the media and by agents of crime control. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
Identify and summarise the main points of key texts in criminology will be achieved by assessments: 1, 3
Make use of research evidence, other data and some basic criminological theories in developing arguments and making judgements about criminological issues will be achieved by assessments: 1, 3
Present written work in criminology in an appropriate scholarly style using the Harvard system of citation and referencing will be achieved by assessments: 1 , 3
10 hours of tutorial contact
129 hours of private study (including preparatory reading for lectures and tutorials, preparation and additional reading for assessments and group preparation outside of context of tutorials for group presentation).
A 1500 word individual report on a visit to a Magistrates or Crown court.
Short on-line test (a mixture of multiple choice, true/false, missing word and short answer questions)
1500 word essay answer to question drawn from list provided by module leader. The question will relate to one or more aspects of the module content.
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