Programme of Study Catalogue

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts and theories for the analysis and measurement of crime;
Explain how crime is constructed as a social category;
Relate controversies about the causes and responses to crime to social divisions;
Evaluate the relation of theoretical analyses of crime to other perspectives, such as from the media, political ideology and common sense.

Content:

This module provides a general introduction to the social construction of crime and criminal behaviour. The topic is broadly viewed from a �cultural criminology� position, exploring the competing perspectives within contemporary society on crime, its policing and the nature of punishment. The definition of �crime� is discussed as a contested category that reflects broader scoial and cultural divisions. The module distinguishes between various levels of defining crime, such as common sense, political ideology and rival criminological theories.
These themes and issues around the contested definitions and meanings of crime and its causes are developed in the following L5 modules: SOC 5002 Ethics and Criminal Justicem, SOC 5032 Policing, and SOC 5702 Cultures of Crime.
By contrast, the key aspects of criminological policy, process and practice are covered in SOC 4032 Crime Control and Criminal Justice module and further developed through the Forensic Psychology strand modules.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The central aim of this module is to help students understand the conflict of interests involved in any public discussion of crime and the fault lines that exist between public perceptions, governmental policies, and academic theories. This complex of interests will be related to existence of rival theories of crime, its causes and the respective nature of its punishment.

The module begins with an overview of the emergence of contemporary academic theories of crime as a social construct. In a mixture of seminars and workshops key readings in criminological theory, relevant to the social construction of crime, are presented, analysed and unpacked. Student understanding of the key terms, concepts and theories will be tested through a report that interprets a given case study in line with a nominated theory. There will be formative feedback on an earlier practice for this assignment.

The second part of the module develops this understanding of a single theory by situating it within a contested field of public debate. The second assignment tests the ability to interpret given reports and case studies according to distinct social perspectives and to identify and employ relevant academic concepts and theories to productive effect in this analysis. Again, formative feedback will be given during the production of this assignment.

Seminars/workshops
Contact hours: 40
Intended Group size: 30

Guided independent study
Hours: 160
Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1 � Directed activities: these consist of weekly tasks that must be completed and submitted for inspection at timetabled sessions each week. The assessment will be assessed on a pass/fail basis with a pass requiring at least 75% of all weekly tasks to be completed successfully. A pass will lead to the full award of 10% towards the final module mark. A fail in directed activities will contribute 0% to the final mark.