BA Single Honours Criminology

This module provides an in-depth examination of the factors that contribute to youth crime, critically exploring a wide range of criminological theories, both historical and contemporary. You will engage with these theories to understand why young people commit crime, while also evaluating current policies and legislation within the Youth Justice System, with a specific focus on England and Wales. The module also addresses various strategies aimed at encouraging desistance from crime and the challenges of supporting young offenders in their reintegration into society. Through class discussions and insights from guest speakers actively working in the youth justice field, you will gain a real-world perspective on the complexities of working with young offenders. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to articulate a well-rounded, informed position on the effectiveness of current policy responses to youth crime and understand the ways in which these responses impact a diverse range of young people.

This module focuses on theories of criminal justice and how these help understand the processes and systems which constitute criminal justice within the UK. The module introduces the different stages, institutions and professional roles within justice systems and how the criminal law operates through the courts. You will observe practices and procedures in a courtroom and analyse them using both the academic resources introduced in the classroom. The module will combine tutor led input and input from guest speakers.

This module introduces students to a variety of research methods and analytical techniques that Criminological researchers use to test social theory and study aspects of social life. Topics covered include; the epistemological approaches underpinning quantitative and qualitative approaches and practicalities involved with generating quantitative and qualitative research (e.g. sampling and recruitment). Research methods covered include: surveys; freedom of information requests; official statistics and content analysis; interviews; ethnography and participant observation; archival sources; digital methods. Space is given to discussions of the importance of ethical research.

The module explores the key sociological perspectives in relation to crime and deviance. It explores theoretical concepts and research that explains patterns of crime and criminal behaviour. Additionally, the module explores the historical development of sociological theory and the links to contemporary debates in crime and society. Topics include but not limited to, Functionalism, Marxism, Left and Right Realism, Labelling and The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Gender and Crime, Ethnicity and Crime, Social Class and Crime and Locality and Crime. Students will explore a range of different case studies that can be explained using sociological theory and will explore the extent to which theories can explain a range of different crimes

This module explores the contributions of psychological theory to the multidisciplinary study of crime. It introduces key concepts from Psychology, Social Psychology, and Developmental Psychology, providing a theoretical foundation for understanding individual factors influencing deviance, criminal behaviour, forensic mental health, offending, victimisation, and desistance.

This module examines the relationship between crime, justice, and the media, exploring how they are constructed and represented across various media platforms. Using key criminological concepts, it analyses the role of the media in shaping public perceptions of crime and justice through news, drama, and documentary formats. The module also considers different media outlets, including print, television, film, and digital media, to critically assess their influence on societal understandings of crime and justice.

The module focuses on the psychology of criminal behaviour, focusing on cognitive, social, and forensic psychology theories related to crime. Within this module, students will critically examine the psychological factors that contribute to miscarriages of justice including, false confessions, false allegations, eyewitness testimony and memory reliability. In addition, psychological knowledge will be used to understand topics such as hate crime, terrorism, the link between religion and desistance and vigilantism. This module will allow students to explore how psychological theories and research guides criminal investigations, legal processes and the public attitudes and societal responses to crime and criminal behaviour. Students will critically analyse the extent to which psychological theories can explain criminal behaviour, desistance and miscarriages of justice.

This module will cover and review the overall scope of the response policing role and the types of incidents and crimes likely to be encountered in this area of operational policing. Leadership and team working are key to policing and, therefore, will be explored in this module, in particular, the importance of self-evaluation and the nature of effective teamwork. Students will examine the roles and responsibilities of the police and joint interoperability between other attending emergency services at an incident. Various examples of high-profile critical incidents will be reviewed to establish best practise and development areas. Specific challenges faced by response officers will be examined in more complex response situations and contexts. This module will also examine the key social, political and strategic drivers impacting upon contemporary response policing and strategies involved in response policing to ensure they remain effective in an increasingly challenging environment, including the ethical use of stop and search powers and the impact on communities and trust and confidence in the police and how response policing contributes to countering terrorism.

This module will cover the importance of information and intelligence to key areas of policing, and the relevant legislation and guidance underpinning information and intelligence in policing. Students will understand the practical issues pertaining to the collection, retention and sharing of information and intelligence. Students will gain an understanding of how the use of information and intelligence which is held by other agencies can help and assist police operations. Data protection regulations will be covered and will be analysed to what impact they can have on professional policing. Issues will be explored that can arise when data management protocols are not adhered to. The rights of the individual will be reviewed in respect of information held about them. Students will further gain an understanding of securing and preserving digital evidence, from various sources and best evidence available.

This module gives learners robust training in quantitative and qualitative research methods and practical skills and competencies in the retrieval, analysis and writing up of quantitative and qualitative data

This module aims to provide students with a critical understanding of how different criminal justice systems operate across the world, exploring legal traditions, policy frameworks and strategies for crime control in diverse socio-political contexts. Students will be asked to prepare a presentation for a Justice Minister about a chosen crime, topic or location. Students are asked to consider what international approaches can be drawn on to tackle the topic within the United Kingdom. A range of diverse topics will be considered and linked to theory including, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Forced Marriage (FM), Abortion, Honour-Based Violence (HBV), Capital Punishment, Child Homicide and Penology.

This module provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between gender and various forms of violence. A series of case studies, controversial debates, theoretical frameworks, and current research informs this module. The module explores how gender norms and inequalities contribute to the prevalence and experience of violence in different contexts. The module is updated to keep the topics modern, but is likely to cover a range of topics. This module also emphasizes the importance of intersectionality, recognizing how factors such as race, class, sexuality, and disability intersect with gender to shape experiences of violence. Finally, consideration is given to the role played by the social, cultural, and political factors that perpetuate violence. Lectures, discussions, and completion of the assessment will afford learners with critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the strategies and policies aimed at preventing and addressing different forms of gender and violence.

This module is a study of the penal system. This includes the history, philosophy, sociology and practice of state punishment. Punishment is highly contested and penal practices both historically and in the contemporary world have been subject to vigorous critique. Students will be encouraged to become involved in these debates and to have the confidence to articulate their own views and opinions concerning state punishment. This module will start by considering a range of conceptual and theoretical approaches towards state punishment. Students will explore how state punishment is justified philosophically and how its operation is explained sociologically. The module will then explore how the penal these ideas are reflected in both in terms of government policy and in practice through the work of courts, prisons and offender management agencies.

This module invites students to critically explore the complex relationship between societal issues and the criminal justice system. By examining themes of equality, diversity, and justice, this module challenges students to reflect on their own perspectives and experiences, while encouraging deeper understanding of the world they study. The module’s participatory and evolving nature provides an engaging learning experience where students are encouraged to remain open-minded and actively engage in discussions throughout. Each week builds on previous concepts, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. By the end of the module, students will have gained valuable insights, ultimately enhancing their abilities as criminology practitioners. The key topics covered include masculinities, the concept of whiteness, intersectionality, women in criminal justice, and the experiences of individuals with disabilities within the system. These subjects provide a comprehensive understanding of the diverse factors influencing criminal justice, enriching students’ perspectives and broadening their analytical skills This module is designed to provoke thoughtful reflection, foster empathy, and challenge existing norms, all while striving to create a more inclusive and equitable approach to criminal justice.

This module provides students with the opportunity to explore an area of particular interest through undertaking empirical research (either qualitative or quantitative) supported by a member of staff from the subject area (or elsewhere) with appropriate specialist knowledge. Students will produce a formal written thesis in line with the University’s guidelines.

This module critically examines a range of criminological theory, both historical and contemporary, that seeks to explain why young people commit crime and how it has and continues to inform governmental responses to youth crime. This will include some discussion of current policy and legislation and an analysis of structures within the British Criminal Justice System (focusing on England and Wales) such as Youth Offending Teams. Particular focus will be on how young peoples’ criminal behaviour is interpreted and contested in the media and political discourses and how youth crime policy impacts disproportionately on certain groups of young people within society (e.g. black young people, young people who meet on the street, etc.). A recurrent theme will be how current models of work with young people involved in crime and multi-professional efforts to bring about desistance from that behaviour may conflict with the workers reluctance to engage in social control.

Analysis of crime in society often focuses on street crimes and those offences committed by deprived sections of society. This module will focus on the relationship between crime and power and will examine the crimes committed by the powerful. White Collar Crime, State Crime and Environmental Crime will be explored and the definition of ‘crime’ itself will be critiqued and analysed. The notion of ‘social harm’ that crimes of the powerful can have on society will also be explored. Particular attention will be paid to the power of the state to both define and police ‘crime’. The role of the media in shaping perceptions of crime will also be explored.

This module critically examines a range of criminological theory, both historical and contemporary, that seeks to explain why young people commit crime and how it has and continues to inform governmental responses to youth crime. This will include some discussion of current policy and legislation and an analysis of structures within the British Criminal Justice System (focusing on England and Wales) such as Youth Offending Teams. Particular focus will be on how young peoples’ criminal behaviour is interpreted and contested in the media and political discourses and how youth crime policy impacts disproportionately on certain groups of young people within society (e.g. black young people, young people who meet on the street, etc.). A recurrent theme will be how current models of work with young people involved in crime and multi-professional efforts to bring about desistance from that behaviour may conflict with the workers reluctance to engage in social control.

This module provides students with the opportunity to explore the historical, legal, social and cultural dimensions of sex and sexuality in the context of the criminal justice system. The module seeks to consider the ways in which concepts such as vulnerability, sexuality and gender operate in, often, exclusionary ways. In light of this, students will critically appraise the ways in which technology, sex(uality) and law intersect in this context. The module will also focus on how new technology has been weaponised against particular groups in the 21st Century – providing another medium for heteronormative assumptions about sex and sexuality and gender based violence to be realised. Considering a range of topics such as pornography, sexting and the age of sexual consent, students will draw on key theoretical concepts, to critically discuss the operation of the law in this area and the concept of ‘justice’.