1. Identify and explain key academic theory relating to criminal law and the criminal justice process.

Knowledge and Understanding

2. Describe and analyse strands of theory, legislation and practice developments relating to the prosecution of serious crime.

Analysis

Learning

3. Identify and research key issues and apply practical problem solving to propose solutions to contemporary issues in criminal justice.

Problem solving

Application

4. Evaluate and synthesise a range of appropriate sources, including both primary and secondary sources, drawn from law and related fields of study.

Enquiry

The MCT will include questions covering the breadth of the syllabus and will assess Learning Outcome 1

The essay question will focus on one of the strands discussed within the year. It will require research, application of data, theory and explanation to how the subjects have created new law, giving a specific UK case study. It will assess learning outcomes 2-4.

The module introduces students to the consideration of the role of criminal law, human rights legislation, case law, theory and policing practice, come together to influence the way serious crime prosecutions may be delivered within the criminal court process. It will also give some consideration to the consideration of civil orders. Indicative content includes:

- The Human Rights Act – and the importance of Legality, necessity and proportionality when applied to state surveillance

- The influence of media on crime and Legislation.

- State Crime

- Violence theory and influence on legislation/victimology

- Sexual Offending and Treatment Programmes

- Gangs Theory and Influence on State response

- Drugs Policy – law and social influence - Decriminalisation

- Human trafficking – Law and Theory impacting on witness welfare and CPS policy

- The Difficulties in bringing child abuse cases to court – Munrow and Government Policy

- Justice report on Policing Online Child Abuse cases





PLEASE NOTE THE DETAIL MAY CHANGE AS RESEARCH IS UNDERTAKEN AND NEW LAW AND POLICY EMERGES

Students will examine law, policy and theory that influence how strands of predominantly crime issues, are regarded within the judicial system. Students will engage with practical subjects as broad as the growth of civil orders, recognition of coercive control in violence and human trafficking investigations, all of which now influences how evidence is obtained and regarded by the court. Students will also consider policy creation to deflect vulnerable offenders into restorative measures, training, and sex-offender treatment. Each week we will examine a different subjects and case studies. However, all the subjects are inextricably linked by human rights considerations, CPS direction and policing policy; all of which, lead to legislative development and strategies engaged by Government to reduce threat, harm and risk.

The majority of learning materials will be presented online asynchronously organised as a series of weekly topics. Students will be encouraged to follow the weekly schedule where this is possible.

Four synchronous online webinars will be held to provide opportunities for live interaction between students and lecturer, to cover an introduction to the module and learning expectations, an assessment guidance session for each element of assessment, and a consolidation session prior to the exam date. These sessions will be recorded for the benefit of students who are unable to attend at the scheduled time.

The online learning materials will be organised as a range of short activities for each topic which allow students to construct and apply their own knowledge as they work through them. Instant feedback will be provided where appropriate on computer-aided tests of knowledge. Summaries and explanations of applied tasks will be available, allowing students to assess their progress against suggested answers.

Tutor-student and peer interaction will be facilitated through the use of collaborative online learning spaces. Students will be able to post questions and queries as they reflect on their own developing understanding of the key subject concepts

There is recognition that the module is offered to law students and is benchmarked against broader outcomes such as the intellectual independence to choose problems the assessment aims for. Students are encouraged to ask and answer questions about rules of theory as well as wider social implication and gaps in their own knowledge.



The module not only seeks to test understanding of Law and theories influencing the judicial system, but concepts, values, principles of a diverse public engagement and the benefit it brings to arena. The content material is constantly focused toward anti-discriminatory, inclusive pedagogy. For example, within the content, specific case study focuses on the pro-active engagement diversion tactics for the BAME community via the Lammy report and the benefits vulnerability, influencing policy. – Throughout the semester and within the assessment, students are continually informed of the importance of broader impact of the judicial process, including how the choice of indictment can protect vulnerable witnesses, particularly children and young people. Although the module focus is on Law, policy, investigative consideration and theory recognition, this cannot be achieved without further recognition of social elements such as the possibility of non-judicial outcome, access to training, treatment programmes, addiction services and other restorative measures.

Numerous journal articles and reports posted weekly into BB

CPS website direction EG - https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/human-trafficking-smuggling-and-slavery

The Oxford Handbook on Criminology – Liebling et al. (2017) – Staffs Library and law Trove

Crime Journals – Lexus/Westlaw

The University has a raft of electronic journals; too many to list here – IE

Widom, C ‘Long-Term Impact of Childhood Abuse and Neglect on Crime and Violence’ (2017) 24 (2) Clinical psychology (New York, N.Y.)

Module Study Guide

Access to appropriate and secondary legal resources via Blackboard and also the University library including e-books and journals. – OUP Law-trove - Specialist software (Lexis-Nexis, Westlaw)

Computing facilities to access material available via Blackboard, and the Web.