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Criminology & Criminal Justice - LAW00043I

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  • Department: The York Law School
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

This module provides a critical overview of key criminological theories and how they may be applied to the criminal justice process in England and Wales. Students will learn about the practices and processes of criminal justice institutions, including the police, prosecution, the courts, prison and probation, and will draw on in-depth study of criminological theories to subject these processes to evaluation and critique.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23

Module aims

This module aims to introduce students to key concepts and theories in criminology and key criminal justice institutions in England and Wales. Students will draw on criminological theory to explore and evaluate the key issues of discretion, accountability and discrimination of actors within the criminal justice process. They will also explore alternatives to traditional criminal justice processes and institutions, including restorative justice.   

 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

 

·   To understand the different institutions of criminal justice in England and Wales and their function, including police, courts, prosecution, prisons and probation.

·   Explain, apply, discuss and critically evaluate key criminological theories about the causes of crime and about how and why we punish.

·   To apply criminological analysis to the processes and practices of the criminal justice process in England and Wales

·   To draw on criminological theory to explore and evaluate the key issues of discretion, accountability and discrimination of actors within the criminal justice process

·   Develop informed opinions and arguments on issues and propositions relating to criminal justice and criminology supported by appropriate academic evidence

·   Plan, implement and evaluate research methodologies and strategies, and locate relevant and reliable sources and authorities

·   Communicate outputs in a variety of written and oral formats and contexts to specialist and non-specialist audiences

·   Reflect on learning and feedback, and use this to identify future learning interests and needs

·   Communicate both orally and in writing, as evidenced by participation in plenaries and seminars and submission of formative and summative assessments respectively.

Module content

Weekly topics include:

1. Criminological theory (theories of the causes of crime)

2. Theories of punishment (penal theory and sociology of punishment – how and why ‘we’ punish)

3. Policing, accountability and discrimination

4. Prosecution, discretion and "Public Interest"

5. Trials, technology and access to justice

6.     Prison, treatment and mental health

7.     Probation and the politics of risk

8.     Diversion and alternatives to punishment/alternative punishments (theme: youth justice?)

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 50
Essay/coursework 50

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 50
Essay/coursework 50

Module feedback

This module will be summatively assessed by way of a 2000 word essay due in week 1 of Spring term chosen from a pre-circulated list, and weighted at 50%. Students will also submit a 2000 word research proposal for a project which will be due in Summer Term, Week 1 also weighted at 50%. Both will be 2000 words each. 

Formative feedback will be provided to students in the guise of 

i) individual feedback on essay topic choice 

ii) individual feedback on research proposal topic

iii) formative group presentations on readings in workshops. 

Indicative reading

Indicative Reading: 

  1. The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. by A. Liebling, S. Maruna, and L. McAra (eds) 6th edition (2017)
  2. Criminology, by Tim Newburn, 3rd edition (2017)

  3. Herbert Packer (1964), "Two Models of the Criminal Process," University of Pennysylvania Law Review Vol 113.1. Available here: 

  4. . David Lammy, The Lammy Review: An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the Criminal Justice System (Ministry of Justice: 2017)

  5. Campbell, Ashworth and Redmayne, The Criminal Process: Fifth Edition (OUP: 2015) 

  6. LSE, The Guardian, Reading the Riots: Investigating England's Summer of Disorder, LSE Research online 2013

  7. Reiner, R. (2010). Watching the Watchers: Theory and Research in Policing Studies. The Politics of the Police. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 5-31.
  8.  
  9. Fitzgibbon, D. (2007) Institutional Racism, Pre-Emptive Criminalisation and Risk Analysis The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, 46 (2): 128-144.
  10. Easton, S. and Piper, C. Sentencing and Punishment: the quest for justice Oxford: Oxford University Press
  11. Jewkes, Y and Johnston, H. 2006. Prison Readings: A critical introduction to prisons and imprisonment. Portland: WIllan Press


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.