Criminology Major (Level 3)
Criminology Single Honours (Level 3)
This module will give Criminology students a unique opportunity to work alongside practitioners from a range of criminal justice agencies and related organisations in the public, private and/or third sectors. Initially the work will be in the field of integrated offender management (IOM) and placements are being offered in conjunction with Staffordshire Police. The placement programme is in the early stages of development so only a very limited number of opportunities (probably two or three at most) will be available in 2013-14, the first year of operation. Only those who have met the entry requirements for the module (a mark of 70 or higher in CRI-20015 Working for Justice and an average mark of 65 or higher in all Criminology modules taken in Years 1 and 2) will be considered. The placements will bring students into direct contact with offenders so students will have to undertake a rigorous selection process based, as a minimum, on a full CV and a supporting statement. This will be followed by an interview involving representatives from Staffordshire Police and other members of the county&©s IOM partnership. A Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check and other security and vetting procedures will also have to be completed successfully. Students selected for a placement will then work for approximately 200 hours in two blocks of 10 weeks in the first and second semesters. All students will be allocated a placement supervisor or supervisors from among the academic staff in Criminology at Keele. The exact nature and pattern of the work on the placement will be agreed between Staffordshire Police, its IOM partners, the academic supervisor and the student her/himself. Students on placement will have to travel to work off campus so a full, clean driving licence and access to a car would be an advantage. Some help with expenses may be available, particularly in cases of hardship, but this cannot be guaranteed. Students interested in taking the module are strongly advised to contact a member of staff in Criminology for an informal discussion.
Reflect on issues raised by the experience of working with an agency or organisation in the criminal justice system or a related field in the light of the relevant theoretical and/or empirical literature in criminology, some of which will be at the forefront of the discipline will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
Complete successfully, and reflect critically on, the process of applying for a work placement with an agency or organisation in the criminal justice system or a related field will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
20 hours contact with members of academic staff at Keele in various contexts including briefings, supervision meetings and facilitated group work sessions
80 guided independent study hours preparing for and writing assessments
Students will be asked to submit a portfolio of not more than 6,000 words in total consisting of: the CV and supporting statement used in the process of applying for a work placement; a selection of entries from a reflective diary maintained while the student is on placement (possibly in the form of a wiki on the KLE); a report on the student's work supplied by a placement supervisor; and a final self-evaluation report on the placement experience. The reflective diary entries and self-evaluation document will form the bulk of the portfolio. The CV, letter of application and supervisor's report will not be included in the word limit but will be limited to no more than 2 sides of A4 in all cases.
Students will be asked to write a 3,000 word report on a theoretical or practical issue they have identified during the course of their placement. The aim of the report will be to discuss that issue critically in the light of the relevant theoretical and/or empirical literature.
This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.