This module examines addiction through both social and medical lenses, exploring its links to offending behaviour and vulnerability to victimisation. Students will investigate how addictions—whether related to substances or behaviours—impact individuals, communities, and the criminal justice system. Emphasis is placed on recognising addiction-related issues, understanding harm reduction strategies, and applying basic therapeutic skills to support recovery and crime desistance. Learners will also consider the role of trauma in addiction and develop practical skills through interactive activities and reflective practice. Topics will include:

- Understanding addiction: social and medical models
- Links between addiction, offending behaviour, and victimisation
- The impact of addictions on the criminal justice system and public health
- Trauma-informed approaches to working with addiction
- Recognising signs of addiction and referral pathways
- Harm reduction principles and strategies
- Basic therapeutic skill sets: motivational interviewing and solution-focused therapy
- Delivering harm reduction presentations
- Therapeutic simulations and communication practice
- Reflective practice using academic literature and models

1. Students will take part in a simulation whereby they assume the role of a practitioner working with service users who are addicted. Students will interact with the service user using effective communication skills and applying therapeutic techniques explored on the module.

2. Students will either produce a written or video/audio reflection of their simulation assessment where they apply theories, policies, practices and academic literature to explain their actions and rationale alongside appraising their skills in the situation, identifying areas for future development.

All sessions are taught with students attending time-tabled workshops. Each lecture will have supplementary reading materials and demonstration videos will be used to explore therapeutic skillsets needed to work with people who have addictions. Classroom time will be used for information dissemination, discussions, student presentations and simulation activities with facilitated academic guidance. This approach maximizes face-to-face time for deeper application and analysis. Students will be coached in class-time to use basic therapeutic skills within the addiction field for one-to-one conversations, and they will be coached to present to a group of people harm reduction guidance. Students will learn from one another through a series of student-delivered and assessed presentations and simulations, gaining feedback from each other and from the tutor(s).

1. Demonstrate contemporary knowledge and a systematic understanding of addiction theory, addiction harms, harm reduction and addiction treatment/recovery options in relation to alcohol, illicit drugs and gambling.

Knowledge and understanding

2. Advise on harm reduction and therapeutic interventions in relation to an addiction problem linked to alcohol, illicit drugs or gambling.

Application and problem solving

3. Communicate effectively and professionally with service users who are addicted.

Communication

4. Reflect on your therapeutic knowledge and skills, and how you apply harm reduction and therapeutic interventions in practice.

Reflection

5. Critically evaluate the development and implementation of your knowledge, skills and communication, and how these can be improved to strengthen your professional practice.

Personal development & entrepreneurship

A simulation suite

Dockley, A., Trebilcock, J and Smith, L. (2026) Gambling and criminal justice harms: ‘Reimagining’ through research, practice and experience. Policy Press, Bristol

Meil, W.M. and Mills, J.A. (2021) Addictions: Diagnosis and Treatment. IntechOpen. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91534.

Miller, W.R. and Rollnick, S. (2013) Motivational interviewing: helping people change. 3rd ed. New York: Guilford Press.

Murphy, J.J. (2024) Solution-focused therapy. 1st edn. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/0000370-000.

Velleman, R. et al. (2025) Families Affected by Addiction: A Handbook. Cham: Springer Nature. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-82583-5

World Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNESCO (2023) How school systems can improve health and well-being: topic brief: substance use. CH: World Health Organization. Available at: https://doi.org/10.54675/FAXG9265.

Can you spot the signs that someone might be addicted to alcohol, illicit drugs and/or gambling? How might you therapeutically signpost someone to get the support they need? In what ways can treatment and recovery lead to crime desistance and crime prevention?

In this module you will learn about addictions in relation to alcohol, illicit drugs and gambling. You will learn about the connections between addictions and offending and victimisation. You will be taught communication and therapeutic skills to help you to sign-post people for support and to encourage positive reforms. You will learn to present harm reduction information to a group of learners, and you will learn how to communicate to people with addictions in a trauma informed way on a one a one-to-one basis. You will reflect on putting your learning and skills into practice in relation to literature and research in the field. A significant number of people attending magistrate’s courts and being sentenced in the community and in prison have addiction issues. Effective criminal justice professionals are able to identify addictions and sign-post people to relevant support using some of the techniques used within the addictions field.