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Working in the Criminal Justice System - SOC00056H

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  • Department: Sociology
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

What is it like to work in the criminal justice system? How can sociological and criminological theory and concepts help us understand the experience? In this module, you will develop an understanding of the criminal justice system from the perspective of the people who work in it.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

What is it like to work in the criminal justice system? How can sociological and criminological theory and concepts help us understand the experience? In this module, you will develop an understanding of the criminal justice system from the perspective of the people who work in it. Structured around specific occupations, with contributions from practitioners, the module will provide you with an appreciation of the roles and responsibilities of people working in the criminal justice system. We will enable you to critically reflect on the key debates about what they do and how they do it, and to explore the occupations and sociological concepts that interest you.

Module learning outcomes

Discuss a range of types of work within the criminal justice system and make comparisons between roles.

Critically engage with current debates about work in the criminal justice system.

Critically analyse and apply sociological and criminological concepts to the experiences of those working in the criminal justice system.

Communicate a scholarly argument in visual and written formats.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

For formative work - draft poster - students will receive written or verbal feedback on how to improve their skills in areas that will contribute towards their summative assessment. The formative assessment provides practice for the summative task, which are in line with MLO 1-4.

For summative work - poster and essay - students will receive an overall mark and grading according to clearly defined criteria for assessing their knowledge, skills and abilities in line with MLO 1-4. They will also receive written feedback showing areas in which they have done well, and those areas in which they need to improve that will contribute to their progress.

Indicative reading

Bennett, J. (2015). The Working Lives of Prison Managers. 1st ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan. [Online]. Available at: doi:10.1057/9781137498953.

Mawby, R. C. et al. (2013). Doing probation work [electronic resource]: identity in a criminal justice occupation / Rob C. Mawby and Anne Worrall. New York: Routledge.

Phillips, J. et al. (2020). Emotional labour in criminal justice and criminology / edited by Jake Phillips, Jaime Waters, Chalen Westaby, Andrew Fowler. London: Routledge.

Holdaway, S. (2013). Police Culture: Themes and Concepts. By Tom Cockcroft (London: Routledge, 2013, 168pp. 25.99 pb). British journal of criminology, 53 (4), pp.710–712. [Online]. Available at: doi:10.1093/bjc/azt022.


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.