This module serves to provide an introduction to the terms crime and deviance which will involving the extent to which crime is a social construct. There will be an exploration of how laws have changed over time and the societal changes that have contributed to the changes in legislation. There will be an opportunity for students to explore how police powers have evolved over time.
This module will cover biological (for example, Lombroso, Sheldon and Twin Studies) and individualistic (for example, Freud, Eysenck and Skinner) theories of criminality and will require analysis of the most suitable approach to explaining the existence of crime. Theories will also be used to in a problem solving context to provide justification on what response should be taken to controlling crime and criminal behaviour. These theories of criminality will be evaluated for their effectiveness.
The module will also provide an introduction to the processes undertaken from crime scene to courtroom in a criminal investigation. The roles of personnel involved in criminal investigations such as scenes of crime officers, forensic scientists, police officers, CPS and pathologists will be investigated. Forensic techniques used in criminal investigations will be examined for example; forensics, surveillance, profiling, eye witness testimony and the use of experts as well exploring how evidence is processed and used in criminal cases under guidelines contained within the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. There will also be an introduction to individual’s rights during criminal investigations as detailed in legislation such as the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Finally, the trial process will be examined focusing on the role of the court system, personnel involved in the trial process as well as plea bargaining and appeals. In this module there will be opportunities for students to reflect on a range of source to reach a conclusion as to the suitability of the criminal justice system at present.

The Criminological theories exam will be a 90 minute examination comprised of a series of short answer question to assess knowledge and understanding of criminological theories. There will be a series of longer answer questions which will assess the student’s ability to discuss how laws have changed over time with reference to specific examples as well as the students ability to analyse which theories best explain criminal behaviour evidenced within a scenario. Students will also be assessed on their ability to utilise criminological theories to inform policy responses to crime within scenarios as well as their ability to evaluate the theories ability to provide an explanation for criminal behaviour.

The crime scene to courtroom scenario based task will require students to analyse a scenario to reach a conclusion on the most appropriate personnel to be involved in the criminal investigation, which criminal investigation techniques should be employed and how evidence should be processed as well as the rights of the individual within the situation. There will be a reflective question in addition to the scenario based task whereby students will explore a range of sources to evaluate the trial procedure in England to conclude upon its suitability. This will create opportunities for students to independently research successes and failures of the trial procedure to reach a conclusion.

This module will comprise contact hours, external site visits, and independent study hours.

During contact hours there will be a combination of:
Lectures 24 x 1.5 hours
Seminars/Workshops 24 x 3 hours [to include study skills support]
Total: 108 hours

During Independent study hours [192 hours] there will be a combination of:

Wider reading to support content delivered in lectures

Independent study which includes internet searching, reading relevant news items, textbooks, articles etc. to enhance subject knowledge

Consolidation of learning activities in preparation for formative assessment.

Consolidation of learning activities in preparation for summative assignments

Within the crime scene to courtroom learning outcome, there will be applied learning strategies using specialist facilities such as the crime house at the university.

There will also be opportunities for students to take part in educational visits [covid19 permitting] to contextualise some of the learning content such as the trial process in local courts.

1. Discuss the concept of crime and deviance being a social construct with reference to how laws have changed over time. This will involve the exploration of how police powers have changed over time.
Knowledge and understanding, Enquiry

2. Analyse, apply and evaluate biological (for example, Lombroso, Sheldon and Twin Studies) and individualistic theories (for example, Freud, Eysenck and Skinner) of crime as explanations of criminality and as policy responses to controlling criminal behaviour.

Knowledge and understanding, Analysis, Application, problem solving, reflection

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the personnel involved in criminal investigations, the techniques involved in criminal investigations, how evidence is processed, individual rights during criminal investigations and the trial procedure.

Knowledge and understanding, Learning, Enquiry, Communication, Reflection

N/A

Introductory level text: Henderson, C and Neasham, L. (2019) WJEC Level 3 Applied Certificate and Diploma in Criminology. Illuminate publishing. ISBN: 978-1911208969

Advanced text: Newburn, T (2017) Criminology 3rd edition. Routledge, Oxon. ISBN: 978-1-138-64313-0