CRI-10024 - Module Specification
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

How and why is crime committed? How can crime be prevented, and whose responsibility is it to prevent it? How is crime investigated, and how are perpetrators identified and prosecuted? How do we punish convicted offenders, and what do we hope to gain from that punishment? These core issues in policing, criminology and criminal justice are explored in their social, political, economic, cultural and psychological contexts. The module also includes visits from practitioners and guest speakers working in these areas.

This module aims to introduce students to theories of, and debates about, institutions dedicated to policing, criminal investigation, and punishment.
It aims to enable students to understand and discuss sociological and historical reasons why institutions – such as modern police forces and prisons – emerged and the arguments used to justify their existence.
It will look at the changing nature of institutions, including reforms in policing methods and the shifting boundary between public and private agencies.
The module also aims to enhance students’ understanding of a range of strategies and approaches used to prevent crime, including situational crime prevention, social crime prevention, and community-based approaches, offering insights into how different strategies can be applied in real-world settings.
Through the exploration of case studies, students will critically evaluate the effectiveness of various crime prevention initiatives, considering factors such as policy, policing, environmental design, and technological advancements.
This module also considers the ethical, social, and political implications of crime prevention strategies, with a particular focus on their impact on different communities and demographics.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Explain competing theoretical and political perspectives on crime prevention and the institutions dedicated to it : 1,2
Explain how and why modern institutions concerned with crime control emerged and the social changes to which they were a response: 1
Show an awareness of contemporary debates about the effectiveness of, and rationale for, different methods of punishment, policing and criminal investigation: 1,2
Make use of research evidence, other data, and basic criminological theories in developing arguments and making judgements about crime prevention: 1,2
Evaluate different crime prevention strategies and their practical application: 2
Recognise and describe the ethical implications of crime prevention strategies, particularly in relation to social justice and community impact: 2
Present work in criminology and criminal justice, both written and verbal, in a scholarly style based on appropriate sources that are cited correctly: 1,2

Study hours

24 hours of lectures
24 hours of seminars/tutorials
48 hours of engagement with online resources and readings to prepare for lectures and seminars/tutorials.
16 hours of fieldwork and preparation for fieldwork.
48 hours of preparation and production of summative assessments.
28 hours of work for formative assessment.
112 hours for directed independent study.

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment