This module will focus on:

The history and context of the Criminal Justice System.
Notions and theories of Justice, Punishment and Reform and their application
The applied nature of the criminal justice system in real world settings e.g. the Police, Probation, Prisons.
The complex legal, moral, ethical and cultural debates currently framing Criminal Justice practices
Crime Control vs. Due Process: Should the system prioritize catching criminals and protecting society (crime control), or ensuring fair legal procedures and rights for all, even the accused (due process)?
Retribution vs. Rehabilitation/Restoration: Is the goal punishment for its own sake (retribution) or reforming offenders and repairing harm (restorative justice)?
Public vs. Private Policing: Should law enforcement primarily be state-run, or can private security effectively (and ethically) fill gaps?
Adversarial vs. Inquisitorial Systems: Should justice be a contest between prosecution and defence (adversarial) or an official investigation (inquisitorial)?
Lay Justice vs. Professional Justice: Should ordinary citizens (juries) have significant roles, or should decisions rest with trained professionals?
Racial profiling, systemic bias, and inequalities in justice outcome
The Right to Protest and state responses to dissent
The Protection of Rights against Public Protection
Freedom of Speech against Hate Speech
Criminalisation of poverty, migration and marginalised groups
Debates around legitimacy, trust, and public confidence
Emerging challenges: technology, globalisation, environmental crime
Visions for reform: abolitionism, restorative justice, decarceration

1. Panorama Pitch Presentation. Students will work in small groups to undertake research and pitch a BBC Panorama Programme to a panel of commissioners on a Contemporary Issue in Crime and Criminal Justice. The 15-minute pitch will introduce a lay audience to a selected core contemporary criminal justice topic area covered on the module, a title and schedule for the programme in a portfolio of supporting documentation. The presentation should give the programme title, a core overview for commissioners that will summarise the show content, a guide to potential invited interviewees / commentators and potentially contributors / interviewees, use of existing news media footage and a response to panel questions.

2. Reflection based on the group work assessment where students will critically reflect on the skills developed through participation in the team project, evaluating personal contribution, collaborative processes, and areas for continued professional development. Students will need to consider how these skills are relevant for future careers in criminal justice.

Taught sessions include formal lectures which teach the core issue each week, before you are encouraged to work in groups during tutorial and workshop sessions, researching and discussing the topic and cases to facilitate deeper learning. The module takes a novel approach to assessment, in which all learning builds towards a student groupwork assessment that involves a Panorama Pitch Group Presentation. You will have a formative assessment opportunity in presenting their pitch to the tutor for feedback ahead of the summative assessment. Likewise, you are encouraged to submit part of your reflection ahead of the deadline for feedback that you can apply to improve your summative submission. You will be supported in reflective practice and writing as part of the module sessions and provided with the opportunity to practice this skill in tutorials.

1. Critically reflect on the skills developed through participation in a team project, evaluating personal contribution, collaborative processes, and areas for continued professional development.

Reflection; Personal development & entrepreneurship

2. Evaluate how political ideologies, cultural values, social inequalities, and media narratives influence the construction of crime problems and the development of criminal justice policies.

Application and problem solving

3. Assess the impact of criminal justice policies, laws, and institutional practices on individuals, communities and different social groups, with particular attention to issues of power, discrimination and social mobility.

Critical reasoning and collaboration

4. Interpret how current responses to social problems may function as mechanisms of social control or contribute to the criminalisation of certain groups, behaviours, or identities.

Knowledge and understanding; Communication

Davies, P., Francis, P. and Harding, J. (2025) An Introduction to Criminal Justice. 2nd edition. London, England: SAGE Publications.

Lamb, J. et al. (2025) 50 Facts Everyone Should Know about the Police. Edited by M. Hart et al. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.

Roberts, J (2026) Criminal Justice: A Very Short Introduction 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press Lynes, A. and Treadwell, J. (2019) 50 Facts Everyone Should Know About Crime And Punishment In Britain. Bristol, England: University of Bristol. Policy Press.

Every day in news media, politics, public life, social media, on screen and public forums we see debates play out in and around crime and justice revolve around fundamental conflicts like crime control vs. due process, the balancing of the rights of victims against the rights of offenders, choosing between retribution vs. rehabilitation (restorative justice), and deciding between public and private provisions, often influenced by societal power dynamics (conflict theory) and systemic biases like racial profiling, all shaping core justice system functions from policing to punishment. This module will expose you to the core contemporary issues around crime and criminal justice. It will draw on controversial contemporary issues, instance of public protest. It will challenge you to consider the following questions: What is the impact of policies and laws to address social problems on individuals and communities? In what ways do political ideologies, cultural values and/or religious beliefs inform the construction of crime problems and their solution? To what extent are ameliorative measures fair and just for different social groups? Do intransigent and enduring social problems tied to crime demonstrate limits of egalitarianism, citizenship and social mobility? Do measures to address social problems extend social control measures or criminalise individuals, groups and behaviours?